Homesick Love
by CallMeLove
Summary: What happens if Lenalee, a highly protected yet popular sprinter befriends Lavi, the smartest and hottest guy in Black Order High? LaviLena
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN -MAN. Yeah, i wish though...

Chapter 1

Life is expected to be lonely when you are an orphan. Komui Lee promised to be there for Lenalee, since he is the only family she has. Their parents died in a plane crash and both of them grew up in the Leverier's Orphanage. Komui always thought that this orphanage is where they can call home.

Unfortunately, Komui, who is thirteen years older than her, went for college studies and Lenalee were separated from him for years. The unbearable wait to be reunited with her brother made her behave more timid and unsociable in school and even at home. She longed to be together with her brother again, so much that the place she lives now is not home to her anymore.

When she turned 10 years old, she received news that her brother is teaching at Black Order High. It is the most prestigious school in the town. The school strictly accepts students of higher calibre in any fields; academics, sports, music, art etc.

Lenalee knew that it was an opportunity to be with her brother again. After realising her weakness in academics, Black Order High was like touching the tip of the mountain peak. Yes, it is. She knew she could not do anything with her studies, even how much she try to pour into her brain with the vast amount of knowledge in the world. _I mean, is there even a being who could do that?_ She thought.

That is when she decided to train herself ever since, to be the most skilled and fastest sprinter there is in town. She became the captain of track and field in her middle school, won gold for many international and national competitions held in this sport. By then, her brother have been promoted to be the headmaster of the school. Recognised by her talent, she was finally accepted by Black Order High. To be in the same school as her brother. A dream come true. A true home, where she can see her brother everyday.

* * *

><p>"Wow, Lenalee! You made it!" Akira shouted in amazement. It was embarrassing since Akira and Lenalee (who are best friends since childhood) are sitting at the Miranda's Café. The other customers were instantly glaring at them.<p>

Yamato Akira, she is loud and cheerful, totally opposite of Lenalee, and, of course, Lenalee have shown to Akira her acceptance letter to Black Order High, which she was bugging to see it ever since Lenalee told her on the phone the other day.

"Yeah," Lenalee said, smiling before she took a sip of Miranda's creamy smooth latte.

"Yeah?" Akira gave her the confused look at her dull response, "You should be happy, girl! Let me hear you shout, YAHOO! I GET IN! HUAHAHAHA!"

Lenalee let out a sigh. Akira can get crazy at times, no, at all times, again pulling the force of attention of the customers back to them.

"Jeez, Lenalee, sometimes you should show your happiness more colourfully and maybe a bit of outburst-"

"No thank you, Akira," Lenalee gave her sweet smile, "I'm just glad I will be with Brother again."

Akira smiled and leaned back on her chair, showing signs of her going to a lower energy mode. "Well, I'm glad too, though we may not be in the same school again. For me, that school is for freaks of nature."

_What_, Lenalee looked at her with a blunt face.

Akira drank her cup of hot chocolate, and chuckled, "You know, that school is going to be filled with many geniuses, weird looking people from different countries, and believe me, they would be more crazier than me."

She has a very good point.

"Well, at least for now, I know someone is normal there," Akira said, as she winked at Lenalee who undoubtedly cannot help but to smile even wider.

"Thanks, Akira," Lenalee managed to say out of that huge smile. Akira have been the only friend she have in the orphanage. She cares for her as a best friend too. That is what Lenalee want to believe.

Rumours do spread around, that she only sticks to Lenalee due to her popularity. Akira indeed desired to become a well-known journalist. Sad to say, she does not know anything about Lenalee (Birthdays, favourites, etc) aside from the death of parents, her brother's job and her reputation of 'Track and Field star'. Nonetheless, Akira is the only human being out there, that Lenalee can have a normal coffee with, and treat her like she exists as a human, not a subject of fame, bombarding her with never-ending questions and advises. It is enough for Lenalee.

After such a hoo-haa on her acceptance to that school, Akira continued to talk about her on-and-off boyfriends, her crushes, and eye-candies. Gosh, Akira really loves to talk about them to her. She is really pretty in her age, she should go for modelling because of her height. Lenalee was not really interested in such a topic, because she never talk to a boy before.

Okay, the moment for everyone to fall on their knees, and fainted. She's aware, a girl like her never talk to a boy? She already said it, didn't she? The people she ever talked to who are male, are always at the age of her brother, like uncles to her. A boy who is near her age, never. Akira didn't really try to introduce to Lenalee any of her guy friends, because she is afraid Lenalee would snatch them away from her.

After the chat with Akira, which ended in the evening, a driver picked Lenalee up and sent her to GoldLink's Hotel. She never really did settle down in the orphanage anymore, since she kept going in and out of town for competitions or training. Very independent, you may say.

But you were wrong. Komui, knowing her frequent trips and the possible dangers bestowed upon her, he always assigned bodyguards to watch out for her. One who she knew since young is Reever. He is like another brother to her, and he is less strict than her blood brother.

When she reached her hotel, she packed her bags since she would be living in the dormitory at school the next day. School starts in a two days' time. Her brother told her she has her own private room. Well, that is the right way to welcome her in.

"Really?" she murmured to herself, "How can I make friends then? I don't have a roommate." Akira would not be there. The said lady somehow reminded her, there are going to be many difficult people to be friend with.

_Freaks of nature._ She threw herself onto her bed and switched the lights off, after that eerie thought.

Black Order High. Will it be her true home?


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Upon her arrival to the prestigious school as early as in 6 a.m., she saw from the inside of the black Mercedes car, two lines of black tuxedos at the edge of the red carpet at the entrance of the school. Her eyes widened, due to such a security in place out there. She clenched both of her fists above her knees, looking away from the window screen and down on her shoes.

Is it the fear of studying in this school where Akira is not around, or the long unbearable wait to see her brother again have finally paid off? Tears are building up in her eyes.

"Lenalee," a voice so familiar, from the one sitting next to her in the car. It is Reever. _Gosh, I forget he was sitting next to me and I behave like a crybaby. _She told her heart.

He can give the most sincere grin she have ever seen, "Now, you don't want your brother to wait you outside, wouldn't you?"

The tension on her hands lessened, as she took a deep breath and opened the door of the car, just to find herself in strong arms, hugged. She could see apart from the blue sky as the one holding her is taller and she felt wet on her shoulders.

"Lenalee, I'm … I'm so happy you are here!"

"Brother," she responded the hug back, by holding him tight, "I'm happy to be here too." After a few minutes, they let go of the embrace and viewed each other's faces. Komui have grown into a handsome young man, with shoulder-long raven hair and sophisticated pair of glasses. He has a white beret on his head, making him to earn so much respect by having one.

Komui then took a step back, and threw his arms up high, "WELCOME TO BLACK ORDER HIGH, LENALEE!"

The black tuxedos shot crackers, popping out colourful ribbons. A military band located near the school's door played a smoothing classical melody, as Komui and Lenalee walked on the red carpet, and Reever followed behind, smiling. Her brother really surprised her with such a welcome.

They reached his office, and they sat across each other. Komui handed her a box wrapped with glittering paper. She smiled and was about to tear open when her brother stopped her.

"You can open it at your room. It's supposed to be a surprise," he grinned, "I have something more important to tell you now."

She sat up in a straight posture, "What is it Brother?"

"I have assigned you three bodyguards to protect you everywhere you go in this school. Their names are Reever, Johnny and Tapp. And you shall not disappear from them, understand?"

"Brother, you cannot expect them to attend classes right?"

"That is part of their job too. I paid them, so no excuses."

"Brother!" she stood up in displeasure. She had enough of being hidden in the shell of her brother's security. For once, she thought he can trust her for what she had achieved to be here with him. Certainly, she would not do anything to disappoint him, less said to worry him.

"Lenalee, I'm not there to see you every time, even we are in the same area," he says as he looked down on the desk, like it is better to watch than her teary eyes. "It will be hard for me to know that you are at my reach yet I cannot see you."

Before she could utter another word, he sprang to a stand, giving her that fake smile, "Don't worry! This time I make sure they are fun to talk to. They are really funny people. Especially Johnny and Tapp. They are entirely opposite; small and big, curly hair and goofy smile. You will enjoy school, I promise. Now, now, don't give me that glare."

He approached her and has his both hands rest on her shoulders. "I have work to do. Go and explore the school. Don't get into trouble. Reever, make sure you show her the running track. I know she is going to love it! Now go shoo! Come back for dinner okay Lenalee?"

This time, she saw the smile on his face is genuine. "Okay, Brother."

Reever and Lenalee were walking to the dormitory, and she could have mistaken it to be another grand hotel. The building was huge and grand. The shimmering shiny surface of the wooden curves and window ledges are accompanied with refreshing colours of the flowers and greenery. The dormitory is already occupied with a few ladies at such an early hour. Before she could take a step into the entrance, she realised Reever was still standing near the welcome mat.

"Reever?" she asked him, as she looked at him, puzzled.

"I could not possibly go in there right?" Reever chuckled as he scratched the back of his head. "I will be chased out in mere seconds, after hearing the rumours of the furious maidens working here. Well, I live in that penthouse over there." He points to a nearby bricked house with a cute chimney. "So if you have any problems, call me. I'll be rushing here as soon as I can."

She giggled at his remark. "Okay."

Reever grinned, "It's been a while I see that cheerful face. You are grown up now, Lenalee. Even if Komui asks me to protect you by living next door, I reject it. I hope you make friends here, real friends okay? 6 pm, I fetch you for dinner with Komui later. Excuse me." He bowed and left.

Told you, Reever is less strict and clingy than her brother. She is just grateful, he is around.

Okay here goes. Her first step into the girls' dormitory. First step is more like viewing the gorgeous interior of the lobby. It is like she was in a royal palace. This is just the girls' dorm, and it is already this fancy. She wondered what her room would look like, after all, a private one. She past by some ladies who were chatting with themselves. The etiquette of drinking tea and slang in their conversation obviously showcases their upbringing of a rich family. She did realise that the riches also can enter this school. By looking at their dresses and hairstyle, they do have fashion sense. For her, a dark green dress covers her entire body except her hands, and two long pigtails, with a bang on her forehead. She knew, it is simple, but she would not want to cause her brother trouble here, by dressing to attract stalkers. She love pigtails anyway, she feels much lighter when she runs. Habit, she guess.

She pulled her dark blue medium-sized luggage and halted in front of the elevator buttons. Fifth floor. 320. Well, she hoped she will not get lost. She pressed the button, waiting when she heard a familiar voice. She turned around and she thought she let her eyeballs fall onto the floor. It is … It is Karin. The blonde curly hair tied to one ponytail, with a red hairclip on her right, and not to forget, her sly sneer on her phone as she was walking towards Lenalee. Shit. She wanted to run away now from her and…

"Ahh, Lenalee?" Karin shouted, cutting off her call and she smirked when she looked Lenalee. "What brought you here? Sending some luggage to the First years? How much are you paid anyway?"

Karin laughed with her mouth as wide as she can. Karin, she have been Lenalee's rival ever since Lenalee entered this sport. Well, Lenalee admitted Karin is very good. She always get silver whenever Lenalee is around. When she is not, Karin won gold a few times. Basically, Karin hates Lenalee. She just want to make fun of Lenalee whenever she have the chance. Wait why is she here again? Lenalee thought Karin is one year senior than her.

"Hi, Karin," Lenalee waved at her unwillingly, with the most difficult smile she ever put up. "I start school tomorrow here. I'm first year student here and.."

"What! You get admitted to this school! This is unbelievable!" Lenalee thought she saw Karin's gut exploded. Lenalee was ready to hear Karin's pouting but she became silent. Wow, Lenalee smelled victory after displaying a dying effort to smile at her.

Leaning against the wall near Lenalee, Karin gave the dark green haired girl a glare before saying, "I actually really don't care if you are here. Because I'm senior than you, and the best thing is I'm your brother's favourite sprinter."

Lenalee dropped the gift box her brother gave to her. Those words, it really bit her to heart. _Is it true? That she is Brother's …_

"I have been representing the school for a year, and never fail to bring back a gold. No wonder he gives me a private room and two bodyguards. I'm sure I am his favourite and I am going to represent this school again this year. So deal with it!"

Karin left, managed to further stab Lenalee with her freaking smirk. Ding! The elevator opened its door, and Lenalee still spaced out. She was shocked. Her brother has someone else to make him proud? He even treated Karin like he would have treat her. Is she not that special anymore? Just as the door is about to close, Lenalee came to her senses and used her shoe to have it open. She quickly picked up the box and pulled her luggage, entering the elevator.

She reached her room, unpacked her luggage and put aside the box on the dressing table.

"Wow, that was tiring." She said to herself as she finally unpacked all of it. She laid on her bed, looking at the ceiling.

"Karin, I never really regard you as my rival," Lenalee whispers in her room, "I thought you could be my friend since we share the same interest in sports. After all, you are a senior. I would be in an advantage. What am I thinking? She hates me. Akira, I wish you are here, to remove this heavy sigh off me with your craziness."

That thought makes her smile. Well, Karin is a freak of nature, for hating about nothing but Lenalee's hard work. She glanced at the clock and it is lunch time. She was hoping a maid send her food, then she had forgotten that this is not a hotel. She took the elevator down to the cafeteria. Just a few steps before the entrance, she could already smell the aroma of freshly baked breads and pastries. There was also a mixed smell of sweet and sour. She really wanted to eat anything she wanted, but to keep her body fit to run, she has a diet to maintain.

Lenalee sat on the bench alone, with a croissant and a cup of peppermint tea. She looked around and every girl have a partner with them. There were many groups of girls too. Why is she alone again? It is already five hours here, and she did not make a friend yet. She must have disappointed Reever as she felt the guiltiness creeping in her heart. She did not really know how to talk to people, besides Akira. She just lacked the social skills now, since the one doing the talking was always Reever everywhere they go. Many girls envied her back in the school Lenalee was in, so they are distant from her. How in the world is she supposed to deal with this?

Karin. Lenalee spotted her at the doorway. Karin was marching towards the pigtails' table. Instead of staring at Karin, she looked at her food, telling herself. _Maybe, just maybe we can work things out, and be good friends. Yeah, that does not seem to be a bad idea._

Lenalee sprang from her seat as Karin approached in front of her. "Hi, Karin!" she greeted her, "Want to sit down with me, and have lunch?"

"Never in the million years, Lenalee," Karin pouted as she stared and then spoke, "I want a match with you."

"A match?" Lenalee asked, giving her infamous confused look, "I don't understand."

"I want to prove to you that only I can be the best sprinter in Black Order High! The school track, I can run one round in 4 minutes!"

The blonde girl came closer as if she wants to bite Lenalee's head off, "If you are better than me, try get 3 minutes."

The atmosphere around the two confronted girls changed. The attention of all the ladies there were directed towards them.

"If you cannot get 3 minutes, you will tell Headmaster Komui, that you will never run for any competition representing this school. Understand?"

A loud gasp escaped from the dark green hair girl, hard enough to allow her emotions run through her blood.

_What the hell is she thinking? _She speaks in her mind._ No way I ever do that. All I wanted is to make Brother proud. To not represent the school, is like I'm a waste of space here. Eventually, I will be kicked out of this school. After all, I am not as rich as anyone here. But 3 minutes, I have not seen the track yet. If Karin can run 4 minutes, one whole minute faster may be like impossible. I admit she is as good as me, just slower by mere seconds. BUT ONE MINUTE?_

Due to Lenalee's silence, Karin snapped, "Lenalee, I'm talking to you! Listen, we meet at 7 a.m at the school track tomorrow. Remember the deal. If you get 3 minutes, then I will do whatever you want me to."

Lenalee's eyes widened. _Whatever I want to? She is putting such a risk on a stupid match. Wait, by looking at her face, she is serious with this._

"Agreed," Lenalee smiled as she nodded. The urge to prove Karin that Lenalee can make her brother proud drives her to that decision. The blondie smirked and left the dark green hair, with a cold croissant which she quickly chewed.

* * *

><p>After dressing up with her sleeveless red top and black shorts, Lenalee searched for the school track with the map Reever gave her.<p>

"OH MY GOD!" She shouted as her eyes popped out. "3 minutes?" No, relax, Lenalee. It is unexpected for Black Order High to have such a huge running track surrounded with large stands, similar to one she ran in youth Olympic games. Actually, in this school, it is quite expected. She just thought, a school shouldn't have this kind of track. All alone, no one at sight, it was around 5 pm. It is peaceful to carry out her trials for 3 minutes around the track. She sat down at the grass near the track, laid her handbag carrying a bottle of water and the map.

She timed her yellow digital stopwatch and on the third beep, she sprinted as fast as her legs can carry. Once she reached the finishing line, she clicked 'stop'. She thought she did well, as she recognised her speed. But when she saw the digital numbers on the stopwatch, she gasped.

"4 minutes and 45 seconds? No way!" This is impossible. Is this stopwatch lying to her? How can she be slower than Karin? No, this is impossible. She ran again, and again. But her recorded time never decreases. She panicked, as the deal between them kept replaying in her head.

Images of her brother disappointed. Reever disappointed. Karin laughing at her. No, this cannot be happening. She tried and tried, even cheated to run before the third beep sounded, Lenalee could not reach 4 whole minutes. Maybe Karin is right. She is the best sprinter in school. And she is Brother's favourite.

Panting heavily, she never thought she lost hope this easily. Before school even starts, she already disappointed her brother. Her knees gave in as she dropped herself to the grass, panting as she caught her breath. She looked at the stopwatch for the last time, it failed to encourage her.

"No!" she threw the stopwatch away, taking off her shoes and shoved them aside. Holding her knees near her chest, she found herself crying again. Now, in heaps of tears, alone in the running track. The sun began to set, and she didn't want to see her brother for dinner, when she discovered she is not needed anymore.

Her vision is blurred with the tears, but then she saw something in front of her. A moving figure was getting larger and nearer to her. It slowly was shaping as it was near. A dark green sweater with the hood on his head, and white pants appeared before the girl. Wiping her tears to get a clearer vision, the said figure snatched her shoes away and ran. That was her favourite shoes!

She spontaneously chased after it with only her socks on, shouting, "Give back my shoes!" She picked up speed and before she knew it, she plunged onto the back of the thief hearing a loud shriek, "Ahh!"

Both of them fell into the rough ground of the track. Catching her breath, she found herself on top of a young man, sitting on his hips as her knees were at the sides. Her purple orbs met the emerald green left eye as the right eye was covered with an eye-patch. A few seconds of staring at each other's eyes, Lenalee shifted abruptly and stood up while grabbing her shoes back from his grasp. The young man though was still trying to catch his breath after all the running and dropping on the ground. Avoiding eye contact again, he slowly stood up with his hood still on his head, rubbing his back. "Ouch girl, that hurts."

"Who are you?" she shouted, glaring at him in anger. He must be some kind of an idiotic pirate wannabe, stealing people's shoes when they were vulnerable to attack. "Why are you stealing my shoes? Tell me now or I will–"

"Look!" He pointed her stopwatch at Lenalee, WAIT. How did he get her stopwatch? Her eyes were distracted when she saw the digits. It was 3 minutes and 20 seconds. When she looked around, they were at the same spot where they ran off with the chasing game.

"See! You chased me around the track in 3 minutes and 20 seconds!" He said, wiping his sweat on his cheeks. Lenalee still could not believe it. She did not even realise she ran around the track, in… in 3 minutes and 20 seconds? "You must really like me."

"What?" He chuckled at the girl's outburst at his remark, as if she was not paying attention on him, although she is still surprised. He raised both of his hands at her, maybe he thought she would plunge onto him again. What a loafer!

"Before you're going to mistake me as a stalker, let me explain." He pointed to the colourful grand stands located above them, a few meters away. "I was at the stands, reading a very very very good book, before you even come here." Lenalee gasped, because she thought she were alone here. And he must have heard everything!

He took out a book from his sweater, to prove his statement, and he continued, "I barely pay attention to you running a few laps, 12, I counted when you stop."

What is he… contradicting himself?

"Then you cried, so I stopped by…"

"You talk too much!" Lenalee got irritated as she looked away. She was just annoyed at the fact that this stranger heard her cry. She was half angry half embarrassed.

But the young man says without hesitation after her remark, "Well, YOU worry too much."

Lenalee swung her head to meet the young man's grin. Worry too much? How did he know? They never met before and yet he can see it? Was she that obvious to him? Only Reever would say that to her.

Maybe it is true. She worried too much that she never realise she can run in 3 minutes. Her mind was too occupied about pleasing her brother, that she was distracted and became less focus on running. _This pirate guy, he can see through me. Who is he?_

He rested the book's edge on his right shoulder, looking at her with that green eye. He threw the stopwatch at her as she caught it with both of her hands.

He started to walk past her, "Try to work off that 20 seconds. You'll do fine."

_Why is he being nice to me?_

The sound of his steps became softer as he moved away. Gripping the stopwatch with much force, she turned around, facing his back. Out of the blue, she just shouted, "Wait!"

He froze in his position and half-turned to face her. His hood fell behind, exposing his red flame hair, dancing with the wind. Although she was amazed of the vibrant colour of his hair, she gathered all the courage to speak to him.

"I…" she muttered, "I…Thank you…. Sorry to disturb you…." Unavoidably, her tears started filling in her eyes, again.

"Did I mention that you worry too much?" He grinned, "I'm okay." He started to move away again.

"I'm Lenalee, what's your name?" she shouted, forcing a smile as she held back the tears from falling._ Maybe he can be my friend._

The young man still kept his smile. "I tell you next time if we meet again," he said and turning away from her, "It is pointless to know someone's name if you don't meet that person anymore." Really, what a loafer!

He slowly walked away in the sunset, but he tossed his fist up high with a thumb sticking out. "Good luck in getting 3 minutes, Lenalee! You can do it!"

Lenalee thought she regretted letting him know her name, but after hearing him call her, she smiled, absorbing this weird feeling she never felt before. Reever have always encouraged her but this is different. Looking at the red hair, amongst the orange sky, she became more admired of his warm aura.

"I hope we meet again," she whispered to herself. As she looked at her wristwatch, "Ahh Dinner!"

* * *

><p>Scrumptious food are displayed on the table. Komui was dressed up with plain black T-shirt and off-white pants. Now his beret was off his head. He brought Lenalee to the chair near him and the maid laid a napkin on her lap. "Let's eat!"<p>

While he can feed himself with as many scoops of food he could, his sister took her time having her first scoop, chewing gently and maintaining a smile.

"What's the matter, Lenalee?" she looked at him as she realised he had finished his porridge. "Are you feeling okay?"

"I'm…I'm fine," she started to eat faster.

"You know you cannot lie to me. Were you bullied? Were you hurt? Anything wrong with your room? I must talk to Reever about all this at once!" Komui banged his hand on the table, while the other hand already punched a few buttons on his phone.

"Brother, it's nothing really. I just met Karin." Lenalee spoke not to trouble Reever, but got herself in trouble. _Oops. Why did I mention about her?_

Komui halted everything he planned to do and viewed Lenalee's timid expression. He chuckled, "Oh Karin. She is an amazing sprinter. She do make our school proud."

Lenalee gulped. _So it is true, she is Brother's favourite sprinter. Oh no, I did not think I want to hear anymore. I feel like stomping out of this dining room right now. _

After a sip of plain water, Komui continued, "Even so, she did not manage to get her parents' acknowledgement of her achievements and talent. Her parents rarely get the chance to attend any of her competitions. They were probably busy with their own affairs."

Lenalee never knew about Karin that deep. She is from a rich family. However, Lenalee wanted to believe Karin attend Black Order High because of her achievements. Hearing about how she is treated by her family is intolerable for Lenalee. Aren't the family supposed to be there for each other?

"Karin never give up to find a way to take notice from her parents. She basically do anything," Komui smiled, "It won't be a surprise that she have met you. Let me guess, she wants to race with you?"

Lenalee dropped her spoon which she thought she have been holding it tightly. Luckily she did not choke on her food.

"Oh, that is a yes then?" Komui chuckled at his sister's reaction. "I knew she have beaten all the possible sprinters there is in this school, until you came in. You are well-known for an amazing sprinter. To beat you would be bold headlines on newspapers all over town."

Lenalee just remained silent, looking at her porridge. A hand slided on Lenalee's stiff left shoulder, and she looked at the owner of the hands. Komui's intention was to release his sister's tension of his spoken words. Lenalee felt a little calmer yet she turned away from her brother's face. She just confused on what to do. Should she lost to the match so that Karin have her parents' attention? Or should she win so that she gained back her brother's attention? Karin was the first she wants to befriend with. Maybe Lenalee would give in. But what about her brother's expectations? The school would not allow if she lost a simple match.

Komui let out a loud obvious sigh followed by laughter, "Lenalee, don't tell me you are worrying about this in that small head of yours?"

"Brother, I'm not worried."

"You need to work harder in lying to me. After all, I'm the headmaster of this top awesome school, you know," Komui managed to laugh again. Lenalee snorted at her brother's bragging. That lifted the pressure off her. Komui rested his chin on his palm as he gave Lenalee his contented face.

"What?" Lenalee asked, feeling weird having her brother looking at her like that.

"Just want you to know, you already have taken my notice ever since you are born. Whatever you do, win or lose, I will still be here next to you, like right now. Okay?" He ended his speech with a genuine grin. He patted her head gently as Lenalee flushed in embarrassment after hearing her brother's words. She smiled widely this time, teeth is seen too. Komui was just glad he had to see that smile again. The smile that he knew, her sister finally gained confidence and not worrying anymore. Lenalee do worry a lot, he is aware.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Still dark, a glint of sunray slowly appeared from the west corner of the broaden sky. Lenalee jogged her way to the deserted track where the lights were still turned on. Arrived in her sleeveless light blue shirt and red shorts, Lenalee looked around to finally lay her eyes on a lady in the centre of the track. Her blonds curls obviously indicated it was Karin. Lenalee approached and greeted her yet Karin just looked away.

Karin was wearing a yellow top with the school crest on the top left corner. She moved to the white line on the track, marking the starting line. Lenalee just stood beside her, in the other lane.

"So," Lenalee said as she smiled to Karin, "How is the match going to work?"

"I will leave the stopwatch here on the floor. We run at the third beep. After one round, the one who reached first will grab it and stop the watch. Just to be fair," Karin explained yet her eyes were away from Lenalee. It was really weird as Karin became so serious, no smirking nor sneering.

"Remember, you still must meet 3 minutes," Karin talked to her, still not looking at her. Lenalee just nodded, yet she gave Karin a last look at how focus and serious Karin was in that match. Lenalee gulped and recalled her brother's words regarding Karin's parents and her desire to get their attention. As the two pigtailed girl faced the front in position while Karin set up the stopwatch, she viewed the track; red rough surfaces. Red.

_Good luck in getting 3 minutes, Lenalee! You can do it! _That voice of encouragement rang in her ears, as images of the boy's hair and smile flashed in her mind.

Beep! Beep! Beep! Sprang from their feet, the two athletes ran with their hearts and speed that was undeniably superb. They were so close to each other, that it is so hard to tell who would win. Few metres approaching the stopwatch, it was finally grabbed and the winner dropped on the floor, rolled across the surface of the track.

"2 minutes and 59 seconds! Yeah!" Lenalee cheered, shoving the stopwatch she held up in the air. Karin just stood there, defeated. She dropped on her knees, beginning to sob after looking at the digits on the watch.

"I cannot believe this. I can't lose to you," Karin said, and immediately wiped her tears as fast as she can before Lenalee could see. The blondie sat submissively with her hands on her knees while Lenalee crossed her legs.

"I said, I will do anything you want if you meet 3 minutes, right? So what is it? Bring it on." Karin still was not looking at Lenalee.

"Be my roommate," Lenalee said, grinning as wide as she can. Karin just widened her eyes. And yes, finally, Karin looked at Lenalee.

"What? Are you nuts? That is like the worse thing you can ever ask me to do. We… we are to suppose to be enemies, rivals and… staying together? No, you want me to become your slave! To do all your chores!"

"You worry too much Karin," Lenalee said as she crossed her arms. Though, her heart was filled with satisfaction, able to say such to someone else than herself. Lenalee stood up and offered her hand to Karin who looked up at her.

"If we become roommates, we can work together to make our family proud. You can make your parents notice you and I will have a best friend," Lenalee gave her most happiest smile. Karin viewed Lenalee amongst the brightened sky with the sun above her, making Lenalee looked like an angel. The blondie grabbed her hand and stood in front of her.

Abruptly, Karin hugged Lenalee. "Thank you Lenalee!" Lenalee responded the hug and after a few seconds, Karin smiled, not a smirk! 

"Let's do what roommates do every morning. Breakfast!" Karin pulled Lenalee by the hand and ran away from the tracks. They were happily running. Lenalee was so relieved that Karin finally accepted her as a friend. It was not that bad after all. It worked. Karin who she thought would always hate her can be her roommate.

They reached the cafeteria, ate breakfast together while sharing stories of Karin's experience in the sports and school. They had so much fun. Lenalee never expected Karin to be one who she can easily talk to. Karin was always this nice but her urge of being noticed just drove her to behave that way to Lenalee. Lenalee certainly understood her situation and even wanted to help Karin. With her popularity and relation to the headmaster of the school, Lenalee assured Karin that she will be noticed by her parents.

Right after breakfast, they went for wash-up and dressed up in their school uniform. They have not moved in together just yet, but they met each other again before entering the school building. They walked together from the girls' dormitory, laughing and talking. The other girls who had witnessed their confrontation the previous day were just left puzzled as the said pair was in peace together. The ladies were dressed in a light grey blouse covered with sleeveless black vest, silver buttons and crest, and short skirt with long white socks.

Once they arrived the school hallway, stomping out of nowhere, a group of boys appeared with camera flashing and pens and notebooks in the air. Their uniform consisted of black blazer with light grey blouse inside, and a pair of black pants. Their school crest appeared at the left corner in the blazer, just like the girl's vest. The group encircled the pair.

"Lenalee! Can we have your autograph?"

"Oh my god, she is much prettier in real than in the pictures!"

"Lenalee, go out with me!"

The boys cheered to grab Lenalee's attention who just smiled innocently, unable to shove them away. Unknowingly, the boys became too close to Lenalee, and she felt insecure. Karin who noticed the change of expression on Lenalee's face used all her strength and her voice to yell the boys away.

"Get your disgusting hands off her!" Karin put up a face, only one you should see in hell. Lenalee was plainly surprised and giggled as the crowd began to disappear.

"Thanks, Karin. But you don't have to."

"I'm not someone who is going to let anyone harass my only friend I have in this school." Karin smiled sincerely as she winked at Lenalee who was blushing.

"Well, I guess I see you in lunch then. After school, I have errands to do. I will let you know when I'm coming with my stuff. So see ya! Have fun in your first day of school." Karin hopped away, yet she glared to any boy who tried to approach Lenalee.

The dark green haired girl walked towards her classroom, 1-A. She looked around and it seemed everyone have make their own friends. It looked like there was no room for her. Despite worrying about that, she took the seat nearest to the window, where she can view the track and the stands. Eyes somehow searched for a figure with green sweater and white pants at the stands. No, Lenalee shook her head. He should be a student too so he should be in class. He looked like a senior in school. The hope of meeting the boy again just kept on growing in her heart. She wanted to tell him that she managed to get 3 minutes, even 1 second less.

When she turned her head, thinking she heard the footsteps of the homeroom teacher, it was actually three grown-up men sitting around her.

"Hey, I'm Johnny!" the one with the curly hair and goofy spectacles said. The other man was bigger in size, wearing a snow hat covering his eyes. "I'm Tapp."

"They are the addition to your security, Miss Lenalee," Reever who appeared in between them smiled as he said formally.

"But what are you guys doing here?" Lenalee asked as she noticed she was getting attention from her classmates.

Johnny sat closer to Lenalee on the right while Tapp on the left, sandwiching her. "We are going to attend class with you!"

Bang! Lenalee threw both her fists onto the table as she stood up. "No way! You guys are embarrassing me, you know."

"B-But Miss Lenalee," just as Reever was about to explain, there was a commotion at the hallway, so loud that all the classmates were gathering outside the classroom. Lenalee tried to squeeze herself through the crowd at the door, to get a better look. She did not realise her bodyguards had tried to stop her by calling her back.

What she found though, a silver-haired boy in school uniform sat on the floor as if he just fell down and another boy with a long dark blue ponytail was holding a wooden sword, pointing to the boy below. _What the hell_, Lenalee thought, _is this some kind of show?_

"What makes you think, you can dress up like one of us and actually come here?" the boy gripped his sword tighter, glaring at the frightened silver-head. Lenalee felt fear too. Then, she heard murmuring among the people around her.

"Is that Kanda? The President of Kendo Club?"

"Yeah, dude! I heard he is very strong and merciless to anyone who got caught by him. I think that silver boy is doomed!"

The prey stiffened and shouted, "Let me explain. You have misunderstood!"

"Misunderstood my foot! You have that disgusting tattoo on your forehead. You are part of the Pentacle Gang. And I despise gangsters." Kanda began positioning to attack. Lenalee turned behind to find her guards so they could stop the fight but they were nowhere. She expected the other students would have initiated to find teachers or any adult to stop them. However, she only heard one name.

"We must find Lavi. He is the only one who can stop Kanda!"

"Where is Lavi? Where can we find him?"

_Who is Lavi?_ Lenalee thought before it was disrupted by Kanda's yell, "I teach you a lesson!"

He raised his sword and the silver-head tried to move away from where he was. Yet, he felt a shockwave of pain across his left arm, injured by the fall just now. The wooden sword swung swiftly, aiming at the silver-head's neck for a powerful whack when the tip of the sword was crushed down onto the floor into pieces. Kanda was surprised to see a pair of black shiny boots sewn with greenish bright wings at the end of his sword. He looked up and saw the two pigtailed girl who said, "I despise violence."

Without hesitation, Kanda went for another attack, pointing to stab her in the stomach but it was avoided by Lenalee's beautiful leap off the floor. Kanda was amazed at the girl's speed to jump and move that fast. Kanda pursued to attack again when his sword was held by someone.

"I suggest you stop this at once." Reever and his two partners appeared in front of Lenalee and the silver-boy. "If Headmaster found out you injured Miss Lenalee, you will be in deep trouble."

Knowing he had a smaller chance in winning one against five, he gave up and muttered, "Troublesome."

"Anyway, this boy is Allen Walker, first year student," Reever explained to Kanda, "Miss Hevlaska, our head of Student Admission Affairs, has checked and confirmed that he has no record of being involved in any gang whatsoever. The tattoo on his forehead was due to an accident in his childhood, not intended to be part of any gang."

"Tch." Kanda pulled his sword from Reever's grip and moved away without a word. As soon as he was not at sight, the tension was gone instantly. Lenalee let out a heavy sigh and smiled at Reever who acknowledged her thanks with a nod. Reever then announced to everyone to return to their classes. Lenalee turned to face the boy named Allen.

Lenalee offered her hand, "Are you alright?"

He grabbed her hand and stood up. He rubbed his left arm and smiled at Lenalee. "Yeah, thanks. I thought I was about to be killed on the first day of school."

She giggled and said, "I'm Lenalee."

"Ahh, you are that famous youngest athlete right! I'm Allen Walker. Nice to meet you."

Lenalee blushed at his acknowledgment of her fame, "Nice to meet you too. What class are you in?"

"1-A."

"Cool, me too! We are classmates."

The both of them giggled and walked towards their classroom. Just before Lenalee entered her classroom, she halted the three guards who tailed her.

"Reever, can you do something? You know, about my privacy?" Lenalee pleaded at Reever, who eventually nodded after a deep thought.

Reever faced the both of them and said, "Johnny, Tapp, do you remember I said, we also have paperwork to do?"

"Really? When did you say that?" Johnny asked with a puzzled face, and Tapp remained ignorant.

Reever smiled and continued, "There are tons of them that Komui have left on the desk. We are paid to do that too."

"WHAT?" Johnny and Tapp had their jaws opened. Reever chuckled and pushed them away from the classroom.

Lenalee chuckled and waved them goodbye. Their homeroom teacher had arrived and lessons were carried out as per normal. Allen and Lenalee had seated next to each other and both of them always assisted each other whenever one was lost in la la land. Lunch finally arrived and Lenalee was searching for Karin, yet she was not found. They promised to eat together during lunch though. However, time was running out as Lenalee ate with Allen and she was definitely surprised at Allen's appetite.

"Wow, you are really hungry, Allen?" Lenalee smiled.

"Yeah, gotta to fill up this empty tank!" Allen managed to say because his mouth was full.

"Lenalee," Allen swallowed and spoke with a clearer voice, "I know you are a superstar and all. You sure, you can be friends with me? I mean, I'm really no one."

Lenalee chuckled, "Don't say such thing, Allen. I'm glad to meet you and be your friend too. Let's go. Class is starting soon."

"Really? I thought I can still have pudding." Allen sighed. Lenalee just laughed at disbelief of how much he can eat. While walking to class, she still could not think any reason why Karin did not show up in lunch. It somehow made her feel worry. What if something happened to her? Or she changed her mind to be Lenalee's roommate? There was certainly something wrong.

First day of school at long last ended. Allen rushed off as he told her he was working at a nearby café after school. He only had a stepfather who could not really give him money for his own expenses. Poor yet independent boy.

Lenalee still did not find any of her guards around. It might be because of many paperwork. She would find Karin but she knew that Karin had errands. There was no homework to do either.

_Maybe I can find him again and tell him I've succeeded!_ Lenalee told herself happily.

On her way to the track, she already heard noises like cheering and shouting. As she reached closer, there were a few boys playing soccer in the field encircled by the track itself. She got noticed by one of the boys, and all of them kept on whistling at her as she walked past. Ignoring them, the boys gave up and continued their game. She climbed the stairs to the stands, searching for the young man. She walked to every corner of the stands and benches, yet she could not find him. Maybe it was too noisy, he found somewhere else more quiet to read.

A heavy sigh escaped out of her mouth and sat on one of the benches near the end of the stands. She did not meet Karin during lunch, Allen had work and the mysterious guy was nowhere to be found. She found herself alone again, just like she started when she reached here. The thought of visiting her brother might just troubled him, especially seeing her coming without her guards.

"Hey look out!" a ball flew towards the stands but missed Lenalee as it fall on the side of the stands. More shockingly, the ball flew out by itself. Lenalee quickly stood up and approached the stairs at the end of the stands. Green hood, white pants, right eye patch! It was him, the pirate guy!

"Thank you!" the boy shouted who received the ball and ran to his friends, continued playing. The green hood boy just waved and smiled. He was carrying three books on his left. He noticed Lenalee when he looked up. "Hey, Lenalee!"

"Heys!" Lenalee smiled, so excited to see him again and she jumped off the stands as she landed in front of him. He was surprised by stepping back, giving her more space to land. "I got 2 minutes and 59 seconds! 1 second less!"

"That's great!" he exclaimed and naturally turned himself away from her. He started to walk away again. Feeling avoided, Lenalee approached him where he faced Lenalee again.

"Where you're going?" Lenalee asked.

"At the back of the stands, reading," He showed the books at her, "It is quieter there."

"What kind of books anyway?" Lenalee raised her left eyebrow.

"Ahh, Lenalee. Don't think low of me. I'm reading books on history like French revolution, China's dynasties, blah blah blah… I don't think I want to bore you with them" He smiled and moved away from Lenalee, this time quicker. _Is he avoiding me? But why?_ Lenalee thought.

"You said you will tell me your name if we meet again." Lenalee shouted at the boy's back, "So what's your name?"

He turned and said, "Why do you need to know?"

"Why are you hiding it?"

"Why must I tell you?"

"Why are you being so annoying?"

"Who asked questions first?"

"Aren't friends supposed to know each other's name?"

"Who says we are friends?" Lenalee stepped back, shocked at the boy's question. His smile slowly faded and he faced away from her. "Our meeting the other day was just because I cannot stand girl's crying. That's all."

The two pigtailed girl clenched her fists so hard you could hear it crack. She swiftly walked to him and stomped on the pirate guy's left foot with her right foot. "Ouch!"

The hooded boy dropped his books as he grabbed his injured swelling foot. Lenalee just ran away from that spot, not looking back at him so he would not see her crying face again.

_How could he? I am not his friend? Where is Karin? Allen… Akira…_ Lenalee cried. _This is the worst day ever!_


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The cemented path toward the girls' dormitory was very empty in the late afternoon. Yet the dark green haired girl walked, holding back her tears. She never thought she would be walking alone, after all her effort to make friends. It was so fun in the morning, having Allen and Karin as friends, but ended up being an enemy to the most ruthless boy in school, and hurt by an annoying pervert pirate boy. How can it get any worse?

Murmurs among the girls at the corridor did not stop the girl with boots from walking. Lenalee just glanced around seeing everyone keeping a distance from her. They were smiling to themselves and some showed disgust at her. She heard her name along with the name Kanda. It must be because of that incident, every girl changed their impression of her. Lenalee did not want to cry in front of everyone. She quickly paced to the nearest empty washroom, hidden in a cubicle. Covered her face with both of her hands, she wept quietly and stopped when she heard voices.

"Lenalee thinks she is so brave to go against my hot idol! She even damaged Kanda's sword that he treasured so much. She just made enemies with every girl in school already!"

"Yeah! She has no chance to get forgiven by Kanda, after embarrassing him in front of everyone. Even the boys now would not try to get closer to her. They will become Kanda's enemies too."

The girls ended up laughing as they left the washroom.

_It was because of Kanda_. Lenalee said in her heart. _He must have been very popular among the students and seniors. It seemed he had a fanclub of girls. Despite his undesirable character, he is good-looking. Not to be forgiven by Kanda, could it mean that Kanda will avenge?_

Lenalee become worried. _Karin!_ _Could it be, could it be because of Kanda, Karin did not meet me during lunch? Could it be that she changed her mind to stay with me?_

She looked at the time and realised Karin should have reached her room already. Lenalee exited the washroom and accidentally bumped into someone.

"Wow, beautiful boots. I wonder who gave them to you." Lenalee looked up at that familiar voice. She knew she wore the boots her brother had given her on the day she arrived here. And yes of course, it was him, bragging about his gift to his sister. The sister remained silent, wondering why her brother was in the girls' dorm. Before she could ask, she broke into tears at her brother's chest. The man just patted her head.

"Lenalee, let's go for dinner."

* * *

><p>With her hair let down, she wore a pale pink dress and white sandals. She sat next to her brother in the car, reaching her brother's mansion for dinner. The brother noticed her silence which was unbearable. He was about to speak when she spoke for herself.<p>

"I'm sorry!" she said softly, "I'm sorry I disappoint you. I fought with Kanda, and… everyone now hates me. And… even Karin. I managed to make her my roommate and she agreed. And—"

"You have Karin as your roommate?" Komui raised his voice in shock, "I'm really surprised." Komui smiled at his confused sister. "She was the most unsociable girl in school. I couldn't get her to share a room with any girl. She was just troublesome. So I gave her a private room." Dumbfounded, Lenalee looked at her brother as she wiped her tears.

He crossed his arms and continued, "Well, about Kanda. He was like the last person I want you to meet here though. I made him deal with a gazillion punishments and he just would not learn his lessons, attacking his peers unnecessarily. However, his unique talent in Kendo is valuable to our school, so we must still have him here."

Lenalee looked down in more fear, after discovering that even the headmaster had trouble with him. The level of anxiety just kept increasing. An arm slipped behind her neck, as she looked up to see her brother smiling at her. "I know you are going to do something about Kanda. Surprise me."

A smile somehow crept on Lenalee's face. Komui chuckled to see his sister being enlightened again. She nodded with more confidence, to have her brother believing in her. That is all she need.

* * *

><p>It was already 8 pm. Lenalee must have spent a long time telling her brother about her first day of school during dinner. It was like breather of fresh air, after all the craziness about Kanda and the other students. Yet, she kept her meeting with the pirate guy a secret. She finally reached her dormitory, quickly took the elevator and arrived at Karin's door.<p>

Knocked once, there was no answer. She knocked harder, more louder. Yet, there was no response at all.

"Karin, I know you are avoiding me," she rested her palm on the door, "I know what happened between me and Kanda have affected you too. I understand if you… you changed your mind and all. About being my roommate—"

The door swiftly opened, and Karin appeared in her white top and grey shorts, while drying her blond hair with a towel. "Hey, Lenalee! I just took a bath. Come in."

Speechless, Lenalee was expecting the lady to shout at her to get away from that spot as fast as possible. Instead, she was invited in, with the resident smiling at her. Is she dreaming? The dark green haired girl stepped in and saw the room filled with many boxes. "You… You packed already?"

"Yeah," Karin jumped onto the comfy brown chair, "I guess I was really excited! I'm moving tomorrow morning, if you don't mind."

"Of course, I don't but… lunch… Kanda… the girls… I thought you were…" Lenalee was lost with words, stammered at every word she said.

Karin chuckled, and she threw her wet towel at Lenalee's face. Removing it out of her face, Lenalee looked at Karin with the face saying, 'What the hell?'

"It's going to take more than Kanda for me to stop being friends with you," Karin grinned, "You are the first person to befriend me, even how cruel I treated you. You tried to understand me, and even wanted to help me. I won't want to lose a friend like you. Kanda can hurt me and shoot death glares at me during class, I don't freaking care. About lunch, I came back to pack. I guess I'm really excited because my roommate is the one who dared to confront the scariest guy in school! Hahaha!"

"Karin," Lenalee said her name, touched by her words. The blond girl still wanted to be her roommate, her friend. It was so lucky of Lenalee to have Karin who did not think like the other girls in school. Nevertheless, she would not want Karin to be the victim of her actions.

"I care, Karin," Lenalee approached the blondie, "I will not want you to be the victim of his revenge on me. I will talk to him, to only deal with me alone."

Karin shook her head, "You underestimate Kanda, Lenalee. He don't talk. He will just attack you, whether you are a famous sprinter, sister of the headmaster, or even a girl. Your brother must have told you that he himself cannot handle him."

"I know someone can," Lenalee interrupted as Karin looked at her, "I heard during the fight. The other students were finding someone with the name Lavi. He can help me talk to Kanda."

Karin just widened her eyes. She could have her jaw dropped too. Before it even happened, Karin leaned back on her chair and crossed her arms. Lenalee just grinned, thinking she found a way out but it did not impress Karin at all. It is like Lenalee had said someone's name so casually that it changed Karin's expression that instantly, from grinning to plainly surprised.

"Lenalee, do you know who is Lavi?" Karin looked at Lenalee with those blue eyes.

"A student, I guess," Lenalee shrugged her shoulders. _Another freak like Kanda?_

"Not any student!" Karin stood up, scared the hell out of Lenalee who fell onto the floor. Karin quickly sat near her and pointed at her three fingers. "You need to know 3 things about him."

"First, Lavi is the smartest boy in school, outsmarts his seniors and teachers in this very school! He always tops the list no matter what exams they were. That's the reason why he did not attend classes. You would only get to meet him during exams. That of course, for a few minutes, since it took that long for him to finish the paper. So he is popular among the teachers and staff in school!"

Lenalee gulped, _such a person actually existed? In this school?_

"Second," Karin moved closer to Lenalee, closing the gap between them, "He is the captain of the basketball team. He is basically the basketball champion. He scored most of the shots in every match."

Lenalee interrupted, "Let me guess, he do not come for practices too?"

"Yeah exactly. That is why he is popular among the boys in school!"

Karin slowly changed her expression from a warning and cautious face to a blushing and excited face. "Last but never ever ever the least, he is the most gorgeous good-looking cutest boy I ever known!" She grabbed Lenalee's hands, as if she wanted her to feel the same way as she did. It somehow reminded Lenalee about Akira.

"He is such a gentleman. Prince of every girl's dreams. He have a fan club and I'm in it!" She squealed. "With his dashing red flame hair, black right eye patch, and his charming smile… He will melt you onto the ground!"

WAIT A SECOND! Lenalee shouted in her mind. _That… that looked like…that freaking guy is LAVI?_

Finally, Karin have come back to her normal self and she patted on Lenalee's shoulders, "What I meant to say, after a brief introduction about Lavi, you should know that it is not easy to find him. Then, it will be impossible to have the idea of working it out with Kanda. Why not we just leave it be? Sooner or later, Kanda will forget everything."

Lenalee had the urge to tell Karin, that she had met him before, actually more than once. Somehow, an unknown feeling grew in her heart, halting her from saying it. She just grinned, "Okay. I will see you next morning then. It is getting late."

"Yeah, you should go." Karin smiled.

Lenalee left the room and stood at the lobby, to go to her room. All this while, the young man she encountered was everyone's favourite. He is so popular that he have to cover himself with a hood and sweater, so that he would not get noticed. He even hid himself from everyone by hanging around at the stands. She have always thought he was just a carefree boy who do not care about everyone else, but himself and the books. She even stomped her foot on his, for him being a jerk.

Guiltiness spread across her heart. Maybe he did not want her to find out who he really was. Because if she did, he thought Lenalee was going to tell everyone. Then, it would be troublesome for him. Besides that, Lenalee always find him to be nice and friendly towards her. Could it be because Lenalee did not know who he really was? So he could have someone who he could comfortably have a conversation with?

Guiltiness really ate her up. As the elevator opened its door, she went in and instead of going to her room, she chose to go to the ground floor. Sneaking out at her quick speed, she managed not to be seen by the guards of the dormitory. The penthouse was dark. Reever should be asleep already.

_I'm really out of my mind_, Lenalee told herself as she ran on the path towards the school track. _But I just couldn't let it be like this, after I found out about you._

* * *

><p>Expectedly, the school track was so dark, even the small lights on the walls of the stands were to no help. She quickly sprinted to every corner of the stands, and still did not find him. She wiped her sweat on her forehead, not giving up just yet. She dashed behind the stands just to find herself in a narrow path between the wall and the tall dark bushes.<p>

She slowed down, as she paced through the narrow path with the aid of the moonlight. He could not be here. It was too dark. As she looked around, she thought that it would be crazy for her to think that he was still here at this late hour. If her brother found out where she was now, she would be scolded terribly. Her mind was interrupted when she past by a few bushes which were being parted, as if someone made a path through it.

She squeezed herself through the supposed path, feeling the branches of the bushes brushed across her dress and hair. Finally, she managed to get out on the other side. Looking around, it was an old basketball court. Piles of dried leaves stacked at the ground, some were scattered. The net was broken, hoops and railings were rusty and the paintings on the ground were faded. There were two lamp post lights at the opposite of the court from where she was standing. The court was like in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by the tall trees.

Between the lamp posts stood a bench which was laid by a young man with green T-shirt and black shorts. His red hair rested on the two thick books while one book covered his face. What really caught her eye was the orange scarf circled around his neck as its loose ends danced with night breeze.

Lenalee smiled that she finally found him. She took a deep breath and approached the man. Before she could call him with his name this time, a twig broke on her step and woke the man up. Well, that was what she thought.

"Ah… Lenalee…" he murmured, "Go away… Don't make friends with me… You are just going to make more enemies…"

Surprised, Lenalee approached nearer. The boy shifted, and the book on his face fell onto the floor. He was actually talking in his sleep, with his eye half opened. _He was dreaming about me?_

"Lavi?" The boy jolted onto a sitting position, rubbing his left eye when he saw Lenalee in front of him.

"Are you real?" the redhead looked blankly at her, with her hair down and a pink dress, like she was some kind of ghost. Lenalee crossed her arms, raised her left eyebrow at him, "Do you want me to step on your feet so you can find out?"

"Have mercy!" He grabbed his once injured foot nearer to his body. Lenalee chuckled, and took the seat next to him. He looked at her in surprise that she could find him here, at such an hour. Was it dark outside? Isn't she scared? He pushed his hair back and said, "So you finally found out my name?"

"Yeah," She nodded, grinning, "You were worried about me making enemies out of your fans. That's sweet of you."

Lavi's cheeks became slightly redder and he looked away. The wind blew again and Lavi could feel Lenalee's long hair tickling his back. Lenalee just looked at her sandals.

"Lavi, I know how it feels to be popular and all," Lenalee said, as the boy gave his attention back, "You are always surrounded by people so much that you want to be alone for awhile. But hiding from everyone would not make you happy."

Her purple eyes met the emerald green eye. "We should make more friends here. So that we will be happy and always welcomed by everyone here. A place where everyone can be together happily. A place we can call home." She grinned widely but the boy was just holding back his blush, after viewing such a sincere innocent smile.

Avoiding to be caught blushing, he leant back and put both of his hands behind his head. He chuckled, "I actually don't really mind being chased by girls. It was fun and I enjoyed it. Blonds, brunettes, dark green…" He could feel the heat of Lenalee's glare at him that really made him laugh more louder.

He abruptly stopped laughing, and stood up, picking up the book he dropped. He gathered his other books and started to walk away. "I have my own reasons why I hide."

Lenalee followed him unknowingly to where he was going. They exited the bushes. "Why you always walked away from me?"

"Shouldn't I ask why are you here at such a late hour?" The boy looked at her and smiled. They were walking to fast that Lenalee had no chance of glancing where the boy was leading.

"Well," Lenalee pushed her hair behind her ears, "I need a favour from you."

"What is it?"

"It's about Kanda." She gulped hard, after speaking that boy's name.

"Oh, Yu-chan?" Lavi giggled. "You chan?" Lenalee asked.

"No, Yu is Kanda's first name."

"Oh so you are close to him."

"We are roommates." Lavi said, somehow not formally calling Kanda as his close friend.

After the rush in speed of walking ever since they left the court, Lenalee moved in front of Lavi and bowed down at him. The red head was just shocked at her reaction after what he said.

"I beg of you," Lenalee said loudly, "I kinda have a very unpleasant meeting with Kanda."

"Everyone does, Lenalee."

"But I fought with him, upset him!" She yelled, "And my future roommate is in the same class as him. And he would do bad things to her. I don't want her to be a target of his revenge on me. Please tell him not to disturb Karin. Let him avenge everything on me. Please, Lavi. She is my first friend here and I –"

She felt heavy on the back of the head. She looked straight and saw Lavi's hands free of books. He put the books on her head?

"Stay and listen," Lavi spoke with a stern voice, "Humans do cause war and terror, but they also protect and care for one another. Yu-chan, he may hate a lot of things but it does not mean he is a bad guy. He is just man of his words. He act what he says, especially on suspicious threats. Don't you get it, Lenalee? He treated this place like you do. Like his home."

Lenalee clenched her fists, felt guilty viewing Kanda at such an impression. "And one more thing," he lifted the books off her neck, "I thought I was your first friend."

Sprang from her bowing position, she stared at the smiling Lavi as his red hair was blown by the wind and the orange scarf dancing with the wind.

"But that time, you said—"

"You have a few girls who followed you, without you knowing," he continued to walk again, slower this time. "Imagine, if I told you my name, they will find out you are the first girl I talked to more than once." He chuckled.

Lenalee smiled, _that would be double the hate by everyone._

"Thanks Lavi, for everything," she said, strolling at his side.

"Here you are," Lavi halted and Lenalee was surprised to find herself at the front of her dormitory. Lavi actually sent her back without her realising. Lavi is so good at doing that. In fact, he made sure she reached her room safely.

"I sensed someone followed you to the court too. I thought it was some stinky pervert," Lavi chuckled, "But I guess he was protecting you. He do not seem to have any intention to attack."

Lavi got closer to her left ear, yet missed those red cheeks on her face and he whispered, "He has blond hair and a bit of beard."

"Oh, I know him. He is my guardian." _Reever._

"Cool. He took a lot of trouble. Tell him next time, not to worry. It's Lavi." He chuckled.

_What is this feeling? _Lenalee never felt being so absorbed by her feelings of liking a friend this much. He was so nice to her. He knew her habits of worrying just from the first meeting. He always made her feel safe and peaceful. His hair was like a symbol of warmth and motivation. She could not stop thinking about him. Saying thanks to him, it was not enough for her to express her true feelings at how Lavi have treated her. She would offer an hug, but it would be too much.

"Thanks so much Lavi! Good night! Take care!" She waved as she stood at the porch of the building.

"Lenalee," Lavi said, "Can you promise me not to tell anyone about my place?"

"Oh, sure." She grinned, and nodded, as she recalled his hiding place which was the court.

"Cool then. I see you around Lenalee." He bowed and waved as he paced away from the building.

_See you around? _Lenalee thought. Lavi finally did accept her as a friend. She was about to outburst in happiness but it was too late at night. All the girls would be awaken though. She paced to her room, _I guess the first day of school was not bad after all._

* * *

><p><em>Thanks everyone for the reviews. ;) I hope you like this chapter. This story was intended to share about Lenalee and Lavi first meeting in D. Gray Man, like you know, Lavi being a Bookman, not bearing any close relationships with anyone, and Lenalee's desire of a home with her brother. But but but...hehehe... i just felt they are so compatible! SUCH A CUTE COUPLE . So i decided that they should fall for each other. Hahahaha! How? Find out yourselves in my upcoming chapters. Once again, THANKS FOR READING. PEACE :D<br>_


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"Carefully put that box down, you giant snowman!" Karin shouted at Tapp who was putting down one of Karin's boxes in Lenalee's room. "There are so many fragile things in there!"

"Geez, lady," Tapp sighed, "It's not that I'm going to throw it."

"Stop bullying Tapp!" Johnny said as he helped Tapp putting down the boxes. Karin just ignored and crossed her arms. Lenalee just giggled. It was so early in the morning to have the guards help them moving Karin's stuff to Lenalee's room. Well, it would not be unless Karin called Lenalee as early as 6 am to open her door. Awaken from her slumber, the dark green hair had no choice to call her guards to assist Karin in moving in. Luckily, Johnny and Tapp did not mind since it was not those dreary paperwork. They were just unexpected of Karin's hot temper.

"Careful!" Karin shouted again. Her shouting freaked Johnny out that he slipped onto the rug on the floor, as the box tilted so much that a trophy flew out. Lenalee managed to jump and grab the trophy before it crashed down the floor. Without her knowing, she felt imbalance when she landed, and fell behind. Luckily, someone caught her.

"Miss Lenalee, I believe this room is too small to jump around," Reever pushed Lenalee to stand straight. He smiled, "That also did not mean you can go anywhere anytime you want."

Lenalee swallowed her fear down the throat, when she recalled about her sneaking out last night and meeting Lavi. She smiled sheepishly. Karin became clueless.

"What do you mean, old man?" Karin asked Reever, who bluntly looked at her. "I'm not an old man, Miss Karin."

"Whatever," Karin approached Lenalee and Reever, "Did Lenalee do something stupid yesterday? Tell me. I want to know."

"It's nothing, really. Last night, I just met you and I went to my room and sleep and all…" Lenalee smiled, waving both her hands, emphasizing it was nothing. Reever looked at his master's reaction. He sighed, thinking that it was best to keep it from her roommate.

The blond hair rested her hands on her hips, "I don't know why I cannot believe that. Well, I will find out sooner or later. We have to rush or we will be late for school!"

Karin went to the bathroom and took a bath. Reever pulled Lenalee to the side, where Johnny and Tapp were not near to hear their conversation. "Here, it was you asked for. But I still don't get it why you are doing this, Lenalee."

She just shook her head and smiled. "Thanks, Reever. Help me tell Karin I meet her in school instead. Got to go! Don't follow me okay?"

Reever just nodded. Lenalee grabbed her school uniform and get dressed in the other washroom. Once ready, she picked up a wrapped long gift that Reever have given her and walked out of the room. Just as she left, Karin finished bathing. "Where did she go?" The guards just gave her a clueless look.

* * *

><p>Walking alone, without a sword, the fit slim boy briskly past by many students at the corridor. His face was so sharp that his glare could cut anyone. Dressed with a long sleeved grey shirt and black pants, with his long dark blue hair tied in a ponytail, he glanced around as if he was searching for a prey. Just as he turned left towards his lockers, he met the two pigtailed girl again.<p>

His pair of eyes were trying to burn the image away, "What the hell are you doing here, in front of me? Get off!"

The other students around gasped because Lenalee did not even fidget after Kanda shouted at her. What amazed them is that she still kept that smile on her face. His urge of attacking her was on the high, but without his sword, he felt helpless.

"Good morning, Kanda Yu. I'm Lenalee," she greeted as she bowed at him, aware of the Japanese tradition. The young man just glanced away but looked at her again. "How the hell do you know my first name?"

"I have my sources," she chuckled, "Now, you do not want me to tell everyone right?"

"What the f—" Kanda was about to swear when Lenalee presented a long wrapped gift in front of him. "This is for you. I asked Brother to make sure it is exactly the same that you had. I'm sorry that I damaged your sword."

Surprised, he grabbed the gift and opened it up. It was exactly like his wooden sword, but it was brand new, shiny and bright brown. Before he could look up and see the girl's face again, she scurried away from him, knowing that he would have attacked her that instance. "I hope you like it. Take care, Kanda!"

Unusually, he smirked and rubbed his right hand against the surface of his new sword. He pointed to every student that looked at him. As he grabbed his books from the locker, he saw the silver head again. Allen also met his eyes, quickly tiptoed as far as away from him.

"Hey, bean sprout!" Kanda called him from the back, with a husky tone.

"It is Allen, you idiot." Allen just blurted it out right at Kanda's face, proving his extent of dislike on pet names on him. "I told you, I'm not from any stupid gang! Gosh, this tattoo is just a freaking scar after a freaking accident that killed my father! You freaking happy already?"

"I didn't ask for your stupid story, sprout," Kanda crossed his arms, looking at Allen who felt rage have taken over. "I just wanted to warn you, if I see you near any gang, I will definitely kill you!"

Kanda walked past him. Allen thought it was strange. He was expecting another drama, where he was on the floor again, attacked. Then, he would trouble Lenalee again. Allen just looked at Kanda's slowly disappearing through the crowd. The school bell rang and he entered the classroom. He saw Lenalee looking out the window, smiling. This time, the guards were not around. She seemed to be engrossed, somehow searching for someone at the window.

Allen crept closer and saw what she was looking at. It was the school track. Allen guessed that she did love to run. "Wow, you sure love the red—"

"Allen!" Lenalee stood in shock, having her shoulder hitting Allen's chin. "Ouch, Lenalee!"

"S… Sorry, Allen. What… what do you mean red?" Lenalee started to blush. Allen rubbed his chin gently, and said, "Red, the tracks are red, right? You have been staring at them for a while now. You sure love them since you keep running on them."

"Yeah, I guess," Lenalee put up a smile. Running on them? She only knew she missed those red flame hair and his smile. "Are you okay? Do you need an ointment?"

"No, it is okay," Allen smiled, "Anyway, I met Kanda just now. He's different. I'm glad I was not shoved to the floor again."

Lenalee giggled. It seemed Kanda came in good terms with Allen. She thought though. Both of them then were seated as soon as their homeroom teacher arrived. Lessons started as usual, but it did not stop Lenalee from thinking about him. Lavi.

She did not why this is happening to her. Everytime she whispered his name in her mind, she started to have the urge to meet him on that very moment. She wondered what he is doing right now. What book is he reading? Have he eaten breakfast? Why is she so bothered about him? She did not feel this way towards Allen or Karin. It was just too different.

Lunchtime arrived and the students from all classes started to disperse. Lenalee and Allen were walking out of the classroom, and saw the blue long haired ponytail again from a few metres away. Both of them took a deep breath, expecting another fight when he came nearer. However, the ponytailed guy just glared at them and walked past them.

Sighing in relief, Allen looked at Lenalee as she looked at him, "Wow. He must have a good mood today."

"Yeah!" Lenalee exclaimed. She was so relieved that Kanda decided to leave them alone. Lavi was right. Kanda just wanted to protect this place where he treated it like his home. That is the reason he attacked Allen who was suspicious due to his tattoo. Buying him a new sword would prove to him that Lenalee really did not want to be enemies with him, since it is a sign of apology to damage his sword. It seemed Kanda accept Lenalee's apology.

"Lenalee!" her name was called among the crowd. It was Karin. The blond girl hurried her away to Lenalee, "Let's go for lunch."

"Allen, you're joining us?" Lenalee asked Allen who was waving at another boy with blond hair tied loose. "Oh, you girls go ahead. I'm meeting Link first."

Lenalee nodded and walked together with Karin to the cafeteria. They both bought spaghetti with extra cheese. Karin really loved western food. Lenalee did not really mind, she can eat anything that was edible.

"So you never really meet your parents?" Karin asked as she rolled her spaghetti with the fork. Lenalee shook her head, "They died when I was just a baby. Brother brought me up till the age he need to go to college."

"I'm sorry, Lenalee," Karin said, but Lenalee just kept smiling, "It's okay. What about your parents? What do they do?"

"They are rich business partners with rich companies. So everyday they are just getting richer and richer. They are always overseas, rarely have time for me…" Karin just fed herself to stop from continuing. She sounded so frustrated about her parents being busy all the time.

"What's your last name again?"

"Morrison, Karin Morrison," she said while her mouth was still full of spaghetti. Lenalee just smiled. After Karin swallowed entirely, she took a sip of water, "Let's talk about something else. Like, Lenalee, have you fallen in love?"

Lenalee could clearly see Karin raise both her eyebrows twice at her. The pigtailed girl just giggled, "No. Not really. I never took interest in any guy."

"You gotta be kidding me!" Karin slammed both her hands on the table, shocked Lenalee as she dropped her fork onto her plate of spaghetti, "You are this pretty and popular, and yet no boyfriend?"

"Karin, you do not have to shout," Lenalee said, calming her senior down, "I did not really get to know or talk to any guys ever since I entered school from first grade. My brother always make sure I was 'protected' by his guards. No boy dared to get near me because of the guards. This time, I want to change. I want to make more friends."

Karin suddenly smiled, and leaned closer to Lenalee, "Is Allen the first guy you talk to?"

Lenalee blushed, thinking that Karin might mistook her for falling for Allen. But then, to tell that Lavi was the first boy she talked to would be more dangerous.

"Come on, tell me!" Karin shook Lenalee's hands, "Roommates should not keep secrets from each other, you know?"

Lenalee blinked at Karin's comment. Should she tell her about Lavi? "I… I actually… The first boy… I talked to… is L—"

Karin's cellphone suddenly rang and she quickly picked it up. "Hello? Yes, Miss Anita. Okay, 2 pm after school. Sure. Yeah, I tell her. Okay. Bye."

She ended her call and looked at Lenalee's with a serious face. "Hey listen. I want you to know that every Tuesday and Wednesday, we have training. Our coach is Miss Anita. But today, Miss Anita and I have to attend some boring briefing about the upcoming competition in the next month. Since I'm still captain, I'll go."

Lenalee just nodded, and aware of the change of topic except for Karin. She continued, "Well, you are the vice-captain anyway."

"What? Since when?" Lenalee was surprised she was just appointed. The blondie giggled. "Today, there will be no training but as vice-captain and my cute junior, I need you to, you know, clean our clubroom a little. It is where we store all of stuff; cones, hurdles, etc. It is at the building near the stands on the right, where you can find indoor stadiums and swimming pool too."

"Um… okay," Lenalee scratched her head, somehow agreeing to her captain.

"Cool, I see you in the afternoon after I got back from the briefing. Have fun cleaning up," she smiled and finished her spaghetti. Karin quickly rushed off when the bell rang. Lenalee just waved her away.

_Gosh, cleaning up? Why won't she ask the other members?_ Lenalee sighed.

* * *

><p>Sweeping the dusty floor, wiping the muddy cones, stacking the hurdles in orderly manner, Lenalee finally finished cleaning. What an activity after school! She felt slightly sweaty since the clubroom was stuffy. She locked the door and walked at the corridor. She smiled at the people around there. There seem to be many students involving in after-school activities there. She happened to pass by the Kendo clubroom, and saw Kanda swiftly attack his opponent in mere seconds, followed by a cheer of fangirls.<p>

_Impressive_, Lenalee whispered to herself. Speaking of fangirls, she wondered whether there was a basketball practice. She continued walking down the hallway, and found a poster on one of the nearby noticeboard.

"There is a basketball match with South Spice High tomorrow," Lenalee murmured to herself. Just next to the noticeboard, there were two doors closed, and the windows were brightened by the indoor light. That stadium was in use, probably for basketball practice. Yet, something was so weird. It sounded too quiet. She approached the door and pushed a little, to peek.

She could not believe what she saw. She pulled the door tight and scurried away.

* * *

><p>Humming, he flipped the next page and sucked on the sweet candy in his mouth. The eye-patch boy gave his entire focus on the new page when he was interrupted.<p>

"Lavi!" The pig-tailed girl shouted at the redhead who was sitting on the thick tree branch. "Come down right now!"

"Eh?" Lavi looked down at Lenalee who magically appeared out of nowhere at his hidden court, "Why not you come up instead?" He chuckled but halted when Lenalee jumped up, her hands hanging on the branch and she slowly climbed herself up, sitting and facing Lavi.

The eye-patch boy just gasped, "Wow, you must really want me." He smiled.

"Shut up! Why are you not in basketball practice?" She glared at him, like some mother hen.

Still looking at his book, he answered, "Because I am not needed. I'm needed during the match tomorrow."

"But," Lenalee crossed her arm, "Don't the captain supposed to be there with his team? You are supposed to be their leader, to motivate them and sustain team spirit!"

"Don't be silly, Lenalee," Lavi snickered , "The captain only strategise tactics and order his team to win the game."

Fumes appeared above Lenalee's head, as she just got more angry at the redhead because he always win in the argument. Lavi was being ignorant and carried on reading when his book was snatched away. "Hey!"

Lenalee grabbed the book and flew down to the ground. "Catch me if you can!"

_Shit! I have some hidden scripts in that book. Old man will kill me if I lose them_. Lavi thought and he instantly jumped, chasing Lenalee. In his green hood and white pants, he caught up in speed with Lenalee yet he could not keep up with Lenalee's random leaping at certain points of the race. It was more difficult to plunge on her like she did that day. The girl just smiled, as she knew she would win this time.

He knew where she was leading as he could see the sports building from afar. He wanted to slow down when he saw more people around him. He felt uneasy since it have been a long time for him to hang around at such places where the crowd usually gathered. The other students did not really have the chance to glimpse Lavi and Lenalee due to their amazing speed. The willingness to run back to the court was growing but was overridden by the fear of the hidden scripts went missing during the chase.

The green hooded boy chased Lenalee through the hallways, bumping and pushing away any hindrance at their path of chasing. It would be dangerous for Lavi to call Lenalee to stop as his voice could be easily recognised by his fans. He just had to silently chase her while he muttered random angry words to himself. The dark green haired girl finally entered one of the sports hall, and Lavi found it very familiar. It was the one where his team always practiced.

The door was opened after Lenalee went in. Lavi stepped in with his left eye desperate for the book yet that emerald orb laid on the court before him. His team was dressed in red top and shorts, ready for practice but his eye deceived him. Three boys were sitting on the floor, playing PSP. Another was reading some cheesy magazines. One was on the phone, most probably flirting by the way he sweetly talk and another was plainly snoring. Out of all those loafers, just one of them with smartly cut black hair yet long white middle bang touching his chin was shooting the ball into the hoop but he kept missing it. The coach was also not around.

A basketball was thrown into Lavi's arms which caught it nicely. Lenalee appeared weirdly with a mask over her face and a pair of plastic goggles, thinking the boys would not recognise her but those pigtails just gave it away, that was what Lavi thought.

"Get what I mean?" Lenalee came closer to Lavi who still held the ball, and slowly was catching his breath.

He finally opened his mouth and said, "Yeah. If I know this place was this quiet, I would have come here and read." He chuckled to himself.

"Train them," Lenalee crossed her arms, showing that the book was not with her, "Or I would not tell you where I hid the book."

"What?" Lavi just yelled at the girl, "That book is so important! You must return it back now!"

"Captain Lavi?" one of the boy on the floor voiced out, "Is that you?"

In mere seconds, Lavi was encircled by his team, pushing Lenalee away from him. She just waved at him and closed the doors behind her. Lavi gulped, afraid of what was going to happen. Because… because this is the first time he come for basketball practice! O.O

To be continued... ;)


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"Captain Lavi, is that you?"

Looking around him, he could not find any opening to escape. Then, he felt his hood was pulled down by one of the boys, revealing his face more obvious with his eye-patch and the engulfing red hair. Finally exposed, he knew he had to stay for awhile.

"Hey, um… basketball… team," he scratched the back of his head and laughed nervously, "Do you miss me?"

The boys were just closing the circle around Lavi more tight. Then, the tallest among them, one with white long bang spoke, "Captain Lavi, the match is tomorrow. It is stated at the poster out there…"

"I know, I can read," Lavi just kept on smiling at his team.

"Then, why are you here?" another boy with dark brown spiky hair with hazel eyes shouted. He had a black band on his right wrist. "You never come for practice. Even if you are the captain ever since former captain Suman retired to concentrate on his studies last year. Right, Shifu?"

"Yeah, Rikei's right," a black hair with small eyes responded, standing at his friend's side, "Now, Captain Suman has graduated, you are in charge. And you do not even bother coming."

The redhead could only grip the ball harder, knowing the consequence of his absence in practices. He just was not ready to face it now though. Rikei sighed heavily, "Basketball is so boring now. Lavi can just come on his own tomorrow. There's no need for us right boys?"

The boys cheered, "Yeah!" Lavi looked up as he viewed them after their roar of boycott. The brown hair then glared at the tallest boy among them. The white fringe boy was quiet the whole time.

"And Krory, stop bugging us to come for this stupid practice. What a waste of time!"

The white bang dude replied after he heard his name, "But… we need to practice for the match…Wait guys…" The others somehow started to disperse away from where they rounded Lavi. The redhead was staring at the floor, shocked at his team's reaction about him and the sport itself.

Only Rikei looked back at Krory who still stood at the redhead's side, "You are the one who need more practice. You were useless in all matches! You only warmed up the benches!" Rikei and Shifu laughed together. Krory was saddened as he drooped his head and turned to exit the court when a voice yelled.

"SHUT UP!"

A basketball was dunked onto the ground with so much impact that it gave a loud thud sound. The ball rocketed to the ceiling as it was hit and swooped through the hoop opposite of where the ball was dunked. Such an amazing shot, who could do such a dunk if it was not the captain himself?

"All of you, stand in one line now!" the red head shouted. Eyeballs were expanded in every team member as they rushed in fear to stand in a line, in orderly manner. Lavi picked up another basketball on the floor, moving in front of them to middle of the line. He took out his sweater and white pants, wearing a black sleeveless shirt and black pair of shorts. He pushed his hair up with the green headband he put around his neck, leaving a few locks in between his eyes.

Putting the ball under his right arm, he shouted, "Idiot! Moron! Loafer! Jerk!" All the boys bowed their head down, absorbing Lavi's rage.

"Hey, what are you guys finding on the floor? Gold?" Lavi chuckled as the boys gasped at Lavi's spontaneous change of mood, "I was just criticising myself before all of you can."

"Uh?" the boys said loudly. The red head approached closer, this time, he made eye contact with every boy there. He smiled and said, "I thought it was natural for the team to be proactive and have fun on its own. I was wrong. I guess there is a need for a captain to motivate and sustain team spirit."

The others looked at each other, realising their teamwork have faded. They knew Captain Suman was always there to discipline and motivate them. But since he was gone, and the successor was always absent, the team have no idea of teamwork. Even in matches, Lavi was the only one running the show. The redhead took the ball to his chest and passed to Krory who was first in line.

"Now," Lavi smiled, "As you pass the ball to each other, you can criticise me with anything. You first."

"But…" the timid tall boy spoke, "I don't know."

"Come on. You should have one."

"Um… Pirate idiot."

"Good! I got that a lot. Next!"

Every boy had their chance to let their heart out with such colourful vocabulary, even Lavi's ears were about to burst. Nevertheless, he knew he deserved that and he could see many faces relieved after such confessions. He then dispatched them in pairs, to train in passing and throwing the ball into the hoop. Only Krory had no partner, so he paired with Lavi.

"Okay, go easy on me," Lavi positioned to catch the ball in front of Krory who was holding the ball. The taller boy threw the ball at him but the ball just went past Lavi with no contact at all. _That was too easy_, Lavi blinked at the poor boy's lack of skill. Krory just drooped his shoulders in despair. He was too unskilled, he thought.

"Dude, I am exactly in front of you!" the redhead shouted at him, enforcing discipline. Krory just apologised with a very deeper tone. Lavi stood up straight and looked closely at him. An idea struck in his mind, and he turned to have his eyes set on the dark brown hair boy, "Hey Rikei!"

"Yes.. captain?" Rikei stopped passing the ball to Shifu and faced Lavi who shouted, "Give me some hair gel, will ya?"

Rubbing gel in his hands, Lavi smothered the hair gel on Krory's long white fringe, making it pointing up and stood still and sharp. "Uh… Captain?"

"Ha! You're looking more gorgeous after Lavi's makeover!" Lavi chuckled louder as he wiped his hands off the gel with a cloth. "Now, you should see much clearer, okay?"

Krory blushed, "Th.. Thanks Captain."

"What is your name again?" Lavi picked up the ball and moved under the hoop. He gestured Krory to move at the mark, so the latter could shoot the ball when he passed it to him.

"Krory, Arystar Krory," he answered, positioned to get ready to catch the ball.

"Kr… ko… kro…." Lavi rubbed his head so hard and finally said, "Kuro-chan. Try shoot the ball to the hoop, okay?"

"My name is Krory, Captain," the timid boy said but Lavi just snickered, "Yeah, I heard that, Kuro-chan. Now, shoot!"

Krory just sighed, and caught the ball which Lavi threw at him. The boy with pointed white fringe aimed and threw with so much hope it would get in but it did not. He expected it even if his fringe was pulled back. He had been trying for several times. He knew he could not do it. They were right, he was useless. What is more embarrassing is to do it in front of the captain and failed.

"I can't do it, Captain," Krory fell on his knees, and covered his face with his hands, "I'm useless. I don't fit to be a basketball player."

"Kuro-chan, don't tell me…" Lavi approached him closer, staring at Krory's face, "Are you… You're crying?"

Krory looked away, shameful of his tears at the redhead.

"Ma, ma…You really reminded me of someone," Lavi stared at the ceiling, "Ah, Lenalee."

"Lenalee, you mean Miss Lenalee, the famous sprinter?" Krory's sudden outburst happened without him realising, Lavi saw his tears and wet face. Lavi just grinned. "Captain, you have met her before?"

The red head wanted to pluck out his head and maybe threw his head into the hoop instead. Didn't Krory see her with him when they came in? Oh ya, the stupid disguise. But really, it worked?

"Kuro-chan, you know Lenalee is studying in this school, right?"

"REALLY?"

"For Pete's sake, Kuro-chan, you need to explore and stop living in your own world. And YES, that girl studies here. You can see her in school, just need to spot the long dark green pigtails." Lavi chuckled and patted Krory's back. "Say, let's make a deal."

"A deal?" Krory wiped his wet face dry. Lavi whispered in his ears, "If you make 3 consecutive shots into the hoop, I get you a date with Lenalee." The cheeks of the taller boy grew redder. He jolted to a standing position, and nodded at Lavi. The redhead stood back, and watched him play. Somehow, Lavi felt that Krory was not what he was before.

His dark black eyes began to focus, and his sloppy moves became sharp and swift. The white pointed fringe boy ran from the mark and jumped up so high, that Lavi let his jaw dropped. Krory did a slam dunk, not only once but three times. Satisfaction filled Krory's face, and he approached Lavi, who was still surprised at the boy's immediate transformation.

"I'm ready for tomorrow's match. The opponents will be my feast." Krory let a sinister laugh. _Weird_, Lavi whispered to himself. What did the redhead do? Is Krory really that desperate to go out with Lenalee?

Not only Krory surprised the captain, but the other members were shocked too. Rikei elbowed Shifu who saw the miraculous change of Krory, "Did… did Krory dunk the ball in the hoop? I don't believe it." Shifu just grinned, "I guess, that is what the captain's fan girls call, red magic." Rikei just rolled his eyes.

Every team member was exhausted after training. It was awhile they have such a training. Yet, Lavi told them training have not ended yet. The team gathered at the spot near the benches. Lavi signalled Krory to help him carry benches, and stacked three benches on top of each other. The other members were just clueless at the kind of training Lavi was intending to have. They never encountered this one before. As soon as the benches were stacked, Lavi stood in front of the team and smiled mischievously.

"You see," Lavi explained, "I read from some book about teamwork, and I find this test the most exciting. So we must have a try. This is how it goes. Kuro-chan, you first. Climb up and stand at the top of the bench."

"Yes Captain," the boy replied with confidence. He climbed and stood, ready for instructions.

"Okay, turn around, let your back face us. Put your right hand on your left shoulder, and your left hand on your right shoulder. Okay, the others gather here and put your hands out."

Rikei gasped, "Is he going to fall and we are going to catch him?"

The redhead grinned evilly, "Yeah! You are smart, Rikei. Don't worry, everyone has a chance. You will be next!" The other boys shocked and murmured among themselves. Krory who was already up there just followed instructions. He somehow was not scared or not aware how scary it would be. "Kuro-chan, when you are ready, say 'falling'."

"Falling!" Krory slowly tipped over and fell on his back where everyone manage to catch him. He was heavy, that's why Lavi chose him first. Krory is the tallest among them. What the others did not know, was Krory kept his eyes close when he fell. As he opened, he panicked like ants were all over him. He kneeled down on the ground and his fringe was down again. "You okay, Kuro-chan?"

"I'm … scared of heights!" Krory gulped for air. Lavi laughed, _I guess the timid Kuro-chan is back._

Every boy played the game, most of them shouted in fear as they fell. However, every time the team caught the one falling, they always cheered at each other for the confidence to fall and to trust on his members to catch him. That is what Lavi wanted to instil in them, to trust each other. Trust is imperative in teamwork. After all of them had their go, they talked to each other about their experience, some were happy, some were just in nightmare. The captain smiled to see his team bonding even stronger, and glad that he was the only one who did not play.

"Wait! Lavi did not fall yet!" Rikei, being notorious among the others shouted. The red head swallowed his guts, "It's okay. There is no need to, Rikei."

"Why? Are you scared of heights?"

"Me?" Lavi deliberately acted blur, "No way Lavi is scared of anything."

Lavi was about to climb up the bench when Rikei stopped him as two other boys were stacking another two more benches. The emerald eye widened to see how tall the height was going to be.

As the members confirmed it was safe to climb the five-bench high platform, the brown hair welcomed the captain but he became speechless when he saw his captain dressed in some protective Kendo suit, covering his whole body with stuffed pads. _Where did he get that?_ "Okay, I'm ready!" the redhead exclaimed.

"You said you were not scared of anything, liar!" Shifu shouted as the team stripped him off the suit and pushed the captain to climb up the platform. Lavi sighed heavily and slowly climbed. He knew his team would not catch him, after all, they hated him for being too perfect in basketball and absent from all practices. Yet, he was willing to accept the treatment since it was his mistake. He was an irresponsible captain.

Positioning himself, he said with a soft voice, "Falling." He tipped over the platform, waiting for the pain when his back smacked the hard ground floor but he felt differently. Small surfaces were touching every part of his back, and pushing him upwards. He looked up and saw his team watching him with relief in their faces, that they caught him safely.

Lavi stood up, still felt trembling in his legs, "Thanks… guys."

"What's the thanks for?" Shifu smiled. Rikei then added, "We won't let our captain down."

The team gathered around the enlightened captain. Lavi knew this formation, it was their time to cheer. He could remember doing this, only once when he entered the team. They then cheered as loud as the hall can sustain their voices.

Whoosh whoosh, Come the Red Falcons

Whoosh whoosh, Kill the opponents

Rocket, fly, smack, dunk

Red Falcons' the Champion,

WHOOSH!

The boys laughed wholeheartedly, feeling the happiness of togetherness. Then, they could hear a stampede outside of the hall, screaming girls calling out, "LAVI! LAVI, ARE YOU IN THERE! KYAAAAA~~~!" The doors was locked, thankfully. Lenalee was the last one who left, so she must have locked it.

"Not now." Lavi have forgotten he did not have a plan to escape from the sports hall. He is doomed.

A hand hit on Lavi's shoulder and the redhead looked at his team who showed signs of assurance to the captain that he should not worry. Lavi could only offer a smile.

* * *

><p>The sports hall doors were opened, and exited two lines of boys jogging out in equally dressed green sweaters and white pants with the hood on. The girls who gathered to meet their idol became confused, as they searched the boys who exited. Chaos was dominant in the hallway towards the exit. Yet, Lavi was still in the indoor court, hiding behind the door. He began panicking when he heard rushing steps entering the sports hall. His terrified state was interrupted as someone grabbed his wrist and took him on the run.<p>

Lavi did not want to look at his snatcher but the long dark green hair was hitting his face, and he finally found out it was Lenalee. She still have the mask and goggles on. The both of them did not speak at each other as they sprinted through another exit door, some club's locker rooms and finally at the back of the building. They did not stop there, as Lenalee pushed through the bushes, letting go Lavi's wrist.

Lenalee slowed down all of the sudden but Lavi was unaware of Lenalee's change of speed as Lavi pushed Lenalee and found themselves falling and rolling down the hill. They were screaming as the slope was too steep for them to stop rolling down. They finally crashed through another bunch of bushes, and laid on the old court. What a dangerous shortcut to his hideout!

Both of them rubbed their backs and stared at each other shockingly. Unknowingly, they burst into laughter, seeing all the leaves and twigs in their hair as Lenalee lost her mask and goggles too.

Still giggling, the pigtailed girl said, "I never laughed this much before!"

"Me too," Lavi grinned. Lenalee added, "I thought, since I brought you out there, I should bring you back here. I didn't expect it would be such a ride. Thanks, for being a good captain today, Captain Lavi!"

The redhead nodded, as he started to remove the leaves and twigs off him. "Why are you so bothered about them anyway? They are not your team."

"But they are my schoolmates. They are part of my home now."

"They do not know that you are doing this for them."

"It doesn't matter. If they are happy, I'm happy too."

"Huh?" Lavi displayed his confused look, for the first time in such long time, "I don't understand."

The girl stood up and swept all the leaves and twigs off her clothes, "You will soon understand. I have to rush. I will be late for dinner!" She started to sprint again after waving at the sitting Lavi.

"Wait!" Lavi called her, "How were you and Yu-chan?"

"Oh, we are not eating each other heads, so we are fine. And your book is on the tree branch. See ya!"

She dashed off as Lavi slowly stood up, wiping the dirt on his black sleeveless shirt and shorts. He pulled down his headband and sighed. "Girls are so complicated."

* * *

><p>The dimly lit room was so peaceful and quiet. Kanda let down his hair in his white pyjamas and sat on his chair, continued to finish his assignment. His pencil lead broke when the door was opened with a bang. Stomping his feet inside, the redhead walked towards his bed. He plopped onto the mattress.<p>

"SO TIRED! First, the basketball practice, then roller-coaster down the hill and then climbing the freaking tree just to get my book back! Geez, she is breaking my bones! I only get to read 5 books today."

"You went to practice?" the dark blue haired boy looked at the redhead who in turn glared back at him. Lavi sat up, facing Kanda, "You… you were listening?"

Kanda's eyes twitched and looked away. "I won't if you did not whine so loud!"

"I always whine, Yu-chan." He smiled.

"Stop calling me by my first name, rabbit!" Kanda glanced at Lavi and turned to his assignment, continuing to write. The redhead giggled and said, "Well, Lenalee forced me to go for practice. It was exhausting. She was like, minding other people's business."

"And she go saying," he imitated her voice, "If they're happy, I'm happy. I don't get it!"

Frustated, he grabbed his towel and clothes. Yet, he looked at his roommate. "Yu-chan? Yu-chan?" The boy did not respond since he was engrossed in his school work.

"Chopped hair— Woah!" Lavi shouted in fear, after calling Kanda, as the wooden sword was pointing at his only eye.

"I will chop you into pieces, you stupid rabbit!" Kanda was holding his sword so stiff at the frightened Lavi.

"How the hell? I thought you threw it away… Is this a new one?"

"It… It is none of your business." Kanda suddenly withdrew his sword.

"Aah, this is what Lenalee gave you right," Lavi nodded with confidence, "Anyway, Yu-chan, thank you for going easy on her."

"Whatever. Now get your ass into that bathroom. You stinks!" Kanda moved back to his seat. "Yu-chan, want to bathe with me?"

Kanda swiftly turned to charge the redhead with his sword but Lavi was already at his heels, running and giggling towards the washroom. "Idiotic rabbit!"

* * *

><p>The brother and sister enjoyed dinner, eating a Thailand cuisine. It was spicy and delicious. Both of them sat at the couch to rest and have tea. Komui could see Lenalee was happy. She must have enjoyed school that day.<p>

"I see, you must have worked out something with Kanda."

The girl nodded, "Yeah, Brother. The sword really pleases him. Thanks, Brother for it."

"I'm glad. Anyway, tomorrow there is a conference I have to attend. You will accompany me after school." The brother smiled as he sipped his tea.

Lenalee smiled back but she just recalled that the basketball match would be held after school too. If she go with her brother, then she will miss the match, Lavi's play.

Seeing his sister's silence, he spoke, "It's okay if you do not want to go."

"No, I will go," she nodded, because she could not just disappoint her brother. Maybe she would come for another match. Lavi would play his best, even she was not there. However, she could not get rid of the pain in her heart to not attend Lavi's basketball match. He is her friend, she wanted to support him.

_I guess, next time, Lavi._ She whispered in her mind as she took a sip of tea.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"Lavi! Lavi! Lavi!" The spectators wore red, colouring the crowd on the stands of the indoor stadium. The basketball match between South Spice High, Dark Knights and Black Order High, Red Falcons were about to begin. The crowd cheered for the moment to start. Banners with Lavi's name and large posters of drawn Lavi held up high among the crowd. On the court, a group of cheerleaders, wearing white top and red mini-skirts danced their way to entertain the spectators.

"Ladies and gentleman, boys and girls," the announcer spoke, "Welcome to the friendly basketball match, marking the beginning of the year, between the legendary home team, Red Falcons…"

A huge roar from the crowd was heard, "… and the infamous Dark Knights. Both teams' with outstanding skills in a ferocious battle between one another. Who will win? Will Dark Knights be the one crowning this match as the winner, or Red Falcons uphold their victory?"

"Give your applause, for the Dark Knights!" The team in black sleeveless shirts and black shorts ran into the court and threw balls into the hoop. Their schoolmates who visited cheered for support, shoving their posters up high. At the other entrance door, where the Red Falcons were standing behind, the members were warming up to get ready.

"Okay, Red Falcons, you're ready?" Lavi asked, in his basketball uniform and the green headband, holding his crimson hair up.

Rikei stood in front of everyone who were smiling, "We are waiting for you to go out first. You forgot?" It is true that Lavi always ran out first, welcoming his fans into his match. However, the redhead felt that day should be different. He did not want whatever he did as captain yesterday gone to waste.

"Let's go out together, team!" Lavi shouted with enthusiasm. The team laughed and cheered as all of them put their arms on each other's shoulders. They made their team cheer, and knocked through the doors, running to the court and throwing the balls to each other and into the hoops. The crowd were on their feet, cheering and roaring when they caught the glimpse of the red hair among the team.

The two basketball team stood in line facing each other. The referee read the rules and briefing. As soon as the referee dismissed them to get in position for the match, the captain of Dark Knights stood at the side of Lavi.

He whispered at Lavi who listened intently. "We watched all your games, Mr. Lavi. We know you work alone." Lavi just stared back at the captain who continued saying, "I make sure you wear out and your team would die with you."

The captain with black spiky hair and red bands on both of his wrists snorted at the red head and started to walk away when Lavi called out and said, "Let me give you a hint, Captain of Dark Knights."

Lavi approached him and gave him his carefree giggle, "All the captains I met said the same thing. Guess what happened in the end?" Shocked, the captain gasped and had no idea he started to sweat in fear. The captain knew the Red Falcons never lost in a match. Embarrassed, he outsmarted himself as he forgot he dealt with the smartest boy in school.

The Red Falcons gathered for a while, as they circled around. The captain said, "Guys, honestly, I may not play at the fullest potential today since I did not really get enough rest." He snickered, _more of my back is hurt after the rolling down the hill. _"So you guys have to grab the chance to shoot if you do, okay?"

"YES CAPTAIN!"

"Who's CHAMPION!"

"RED FALCONS!" the group dispersed into their positions. Both the captains stood in front of each other and the referee threw the ball in the air. Both the captains soared up high to grab the ball, but the red head reached the ball first and smacked it towards Krory who happened to be near the Red Falcons's hoop. Krory was not ready yet he captured the ball and he could feel the ground shake as he glanced at his opponents charging at him. He swiftly turned to shoot the ball into the hoop, but out of control, one of the Dark Knights snatched the ball from his front.

The ball was bounced towards the Dark Knights hoop as it then was passed to the captain to shoot. It was expected that the opponent would score their first shot yet it did not as it was blocked by the red head and the ball flew out of the court. Amidst the commotion of the opponent already aiming the first shot in the beginning of the match, the white pointed fringe boy sped to meet his captain.

"I'm… I'm so sorry. I was… careless." Krory apologised, hanging his head in despair. Lavi sighed and smiled at his member, knowing that the boy was being too humble of his actions. "Ah, Kuro-chan. I don't think Lenalee want to go out with a loser."

Clenching his fists, Krory rose up into a standing position. "I will not lose. I prove you wrong, captain!" He ran towards the other end of the court, leaving Lavi speechless. From afar, Lavi looked at Krory having those eyes again, the one that he had when he did three slam dunks in a row. _Ma, I guess that side of Kuro-chan is back. Now, it's time to crush this idiots._

Whistle was blown. The Dark Knight threw the ball to his member but was swiftly snatched by Lavi. He bounced the ball and turned away from snatchers playfully, at the same time, annoying his opponents. The girls in the crowd just melted at Lavi's playful tricks. As he had fun irritating his opponents who most of them gathered around him, he spotted Krory who was less crowded and ready. In a split second, the ball was in Krory's hand. The white fringe boy immediately made his flight and threw the ball in the hoop, scoring first for the team.

Silence crept in the stadium, watching the first shot for Red Falcons from one who was not Lavi. Even the announcer was speechless. Krory looked around, seeing the crowd tamed and quiet, as well as the still cheerleading team. His eyes gazed at the floor, knowing that no one would cheer for him because he was a nobody. He might have make more enemies from the school, and even being booed right at that moment for snatching Lavi's light of fame.

"Yeah! KURO-CHAN!" Lavi threw himself on Krory's back, cheering in excitement, "Yeah, you scored! It's super AWESOME!"

Lavi shouted in excitement, as the other team members gathered around Krory, ruffled his hair, patted his back. The tall boy was blushing and smiling at the same time. What did he need to worry? His captain acknowledged him, that is all he ever wanted. Krory roared in excitement, together with his team.

The crowd slowly returned back to their cheering mode. Listening to the captain's excitement made the hall back to its noisy state. The game continued as the opponents were getting frustrated. The Red Falcons have more than one person to shoot into the hoop. The Dark Knights were losing badly with mere one-digit shots and the home team was scoring nearly 30.

Lavi was just admiring his team, seeing them excited for the first time. He never felt this way about his team. Books was always his passion, and following his grandfather's footsteps was his dream. He was forced to study in the oldest school in town until his grandfather came back and brought him away, travelling around the world again. He was warned of making relationships, so he would not feel any belonging to anyone. That was the reason he hid from everyone, despite his attractive looks and intelligence.

Basketball was just part of the school curriculum, and he was just best at everything he did. Yet, for the first time, this excitement he bear was so alien to him but it felt so overwhelming. The weirdest thing which he could not comprehend was that this excitement was not because of what he did for himself but from the smiles and laughter of his team, who scored for the team and have fun at the same time.

_If they're happy, I'm happy, huh? I guess I understand what you meant. _Lavi murmured to himself as he smiled.

One minute left. The whistle was blown for the last throw. The Red Falcons were at good spirit. Passing the ball among each other, it finally landed on Lavi's hands. He soared up high and shot the last score for the team. The crowd cheered and sang the victory song for the home team. Dark Knights fell in defeat as the Red Falcons swung the trophy up high. The redhead holding the trophy was surprised being carried up for the first time, as the team cheered in enthusiasm. Out of all the merriment, the emerald eye scanned through the crowd, searching for a certain someone.

_Lenalee… she did not come?_

* * *

><p>It was late in the evening. The sky became darker by every minute. The black car swerved towards the porch of the girl's dormitory. The back door opened and appeared the two pigtailed girl in a sky-blue dress and light cream heels. She held her leather brown handbag on her left hand and viewed the building, quiet and dark. She guessed she missed everything. The whole match and the victorious party after it. The girls must have already returned to their rooms. The event ended without her.<p>

Then, she did not want to feel sad because she knew her school basketball team won, when her brother told her during the conference. She could congratulate Lavi the next day. She sighed heavily and walked to her room. She unlocked the door and saw the room was dimly lit with the lamp between Lenalee's bed and Karin's.

The blondie was already asleep. It must have been exhausting after cheering for her idol the whole day. Lenalee laid her keys on the small table near the door and found photos. She picked them up and saw Lavi and the team having fun. The first one was with Lavi holding the trophy and was carried around. Most of them were shots of Lavi's playing. Karin certainly fond of Lavi to have many pictures of him. It was thoughtful of her too to leave it here since she knew Lenalee missed everything and thought that she never seen Lavi before.

After dressing into her white nightdress with her hair down, she yawned and was about to close the curtains of the windows when something annoyed her. It was something so shiny. She looked closely at the direction of light among the trees of the forest which surrounded the building. It was a mirror, flipping up and down upon a torchlight shining on it.

It stopped flipping as the torchlight shone on the user.

"Lavi?" Lenalee whispered to herself. _What is he doing on that tree in the middle of the night?_

A few metres between the window and the tree branch, she could see him smiling in his green T-shirt with the orange scarf around his neck and white pants. He threw a cone with a long string attached to its base. Lenalee grabbed the cone as she found out it was some sort of the old device used to communicate at short distances. Lavi have the other end of the cone, as the string was in tension.

She placed the cone on her ears, "Heys! The fence was too scary to climb, so tall height and sharp thingy, so—"

Shocked at the idea Lavi had, she turned the cone to her mouth as Lavi moved it to his ear, "We can see each other tomorrow, Lavi. You don't have to this. Now, go. Goodnight."

She was about to throw back the cone at him when he raised his forefinger at her, signalling he wanted to say one last thing, with that begging face. Lenalee sighed, and put the cone on her ear, "I miss you."

Lenalee swore her cheeks had turned red immediately when she heard those words. She wondered if Lavi saw those cheeks at that distance, but he continued to speak since she still had the cone on her ear. "You didn't come for the match. I was worried something happened to you. So I thought I dropped by and see you. Since you are okay and all, let me tell you this."

Lenalee looked at him, as he smiled and said, "Don't blame me if all the girls including freshies have fallen in love with me."

She just rolled her eyes at him and he giggled. He was still wondering why Lenalee still have the cone on her ear after his remark. He thought she would throw it at him but it seemed she still wanted to hear him speak.

"Lenalee, I finally understand what you meant about being happy when they're happy." He grinned, "Thank you, for everything." She smiled sweetly at him and nodded in acknowledging his thanks.

"Have a good rest then. Goodnight." Lavi pulled back the cone away from Lenalee. After waving at her, he jumped off the branch. Lenalee wanted to see whether he landed safely but it was too dark below there. She grabbed her cheeks, grinning endlessly as she heard those three words ringing in her ears. She was so eaten up by her shyness when he said that. Still smiling, she turned and stepped towards her bed when she realised her roommate was awake, standing and looking at her in surprise.

"Karin, you… you're awake?"

"So you met Lavi already?" She crossed her arms, eyes filled with anger, "Secretly?"

"It's not what you think. He helped me so I thought I helped him… Believe me." Lenalee struggled to explain as she approached the blond girl.

"So you kept it from me?" Karin sighed in disgust and turned herself away from facing Lenalee, "And here I thought you could help me about my parents. How am I going to trust you if you… you keep secrets like this from me?"

"Karin, I'm sorry," Lenalee grabbed Karin's arm but was shoved away harshly. Karin just went to her bed, covering herself with her pink blanket and facing the other side, not at Lenalee. The dark green hair girl dragged her feet to her bed, still having her eyes looking at Karin. It seemed that Karin did not want to talk to her at all.

Lenalee laid in her bed, looking at the moonlight. _Karin's angry at me. I… I betrayed her. She surely is angrier because I met her idol more often than her. I didn't even have the idea of letting her meet Lavi either. I was so selfish, having the chance to meet Lavi all for myself. She is my roommate, and I don't treat her any how like one. I'm such a horrible roommate and friend to her. What… what should I do?_


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Blackbirds flew across the sky in the early morning. The sun warmed the atmosphere in the forest. It did not hinder Lavi from continuing to read on the similar tree branch. This time he have a lollipop candy in his mouth. Sucking and licking it, he finally finished reading about the history of Jerusalem. He closed his emerald eye and believed that it needed a rest. His body have recovered from the exhaustion during the basketball practice and match.

A slight longing to see his basketball team crept in his heart. It was a breather from his dull life of books. Kuro-chan, Rikei, Shifu, and the others. He guessed he would only be hanging around them during practice. To even recall of his team never come across his mind and heart before Lenalee came to his life. She was just too special to him, not because she is pretty, popular and the sister of the headmaster. There was something about her that made him treat her different from the other girls. What irritates him is he did not know what it is.

He opened his eye and gazed down on the green grass as the wind blew his hair.

"Lenalee must have been busy…" He whispered to himself. "It have been two whole days she did not visit me. Today is already Friday. School should end early."

_Is she okay? Is she sick? She's having detention? No way… Her brother found out about both of us? Can't be that reason… Gosh, did I do something that hurt her? What is it? Tell me an answer, damn it!_ Scratching his head, he was so curious about the sudden change of Lenalee not magically appearing anymore. "This is so disturbing!"

As he finished his candy, he took out his cellphone. He dialled and placed the phone on his right ear. "Hello… Hello, Kuro-chan?"

"Captain!" the voice on the phone shouted, "You.. you call me?"

"Yeah, I'm bored," Lavi said, swinging both his feet amidst the air as he sat on the tree branch. "Do you happen to see Lenalee in school?"

"Miss… Miss L-Lenalee? Why you're asking me?" Krory was at the lockers, putting his books in his bag while clamping the phone between his left ear and shoulder. The redhead's voice sounded, "Because you are the only one I know who would stalk her."

Giggling played at his ear as Krory sighed at his captain's accusation. As soon as he locked his locker, he looked at his left and could not believe his eyes. Two long pigtailed girl with dark purple orbs appeared within a distance from him. She was walking towards him but her eyes were focusing on the files she was carrying. He gasped.

"Come on, Kuro-chan. Tell me where she is."

"She…" Krory faced the other way, not facing Lenalee as she came nearer. He murmured, "She… is… in front of me…"

"Nah, you're lying. Jeez, I don't think Lenalee like liars."

"No! I'm not!" Krory hushed loudly at his cell phone.

"Let me hear her then."

"What?" Krory was about to turn to look at the girl and just realised she was at his side. Blushing, he raised his free hand at her. Lenalee took notice of Krory's abrupt move. "H-Hi... Hi, Miss Lenalee!"

"Hi!" She grinned and waved back at Krory as she past by him and walked away. Listening, the redhead felt his heart beating more alive when the girl's voice played in his ear. "Okay, Kuro-chan. I believe you. So where is she going?"

"She is going to her dormitory, I guess. She is walking towards that path."

"Cool, thanks Kuro-chan!" Lavi ended the call and jumped off the tree branch. Krory breathed in and released it with much relief. Thank god the captain did not ask him to really stalk her. He would kindly and honestly reject that idea immediately.

* * *

><p>A few girls were walking on the path towards the girl's dorm. Lenalee was walking alone as usual, with her files opened for her to read. The sakura trees along the path swayed with the afternoon breeze, and the shallow bushes brushed against each other. It took a few more steps for the dark green haired girl to the gate when a hand grabbed her wrist and pulled her into the nearby bushes.<p>

"Ouch!" she found herself leaning against the bark of the tree, sitting as she rubbed her wrists. She looked up to see the green hooded guy squatting in front of her. They stared at each other and the moment was interrupted as Lenalee stood up. The eye-patch boy did not smile and he was moving around Lenalee, looking at her up and down, like she was suspicious of something.

Annoyed, she pushed Lavi away from her, "What… what are you trying to do? Grabbing me into here?"

"Hey, you grabbed my wrist the other day. I did not complain," Lavi approached closer to her. "You look fine to me. I thought something really happen to you since you did not visit me anymore."

_Why is he so worried about me? Why is he this nice? I... I could not bear the days without seeing him but to see him would hurt Karin even more. It is because I secretly meet him that resulted a crack in my relationship with my roommate. She is not talking to me. I'm sorry, Lavi. We cannot meet each other anymore. I started being friends with him. Then, I should end it as well. _

The pigtailed girl glared at Lavi with those intense angry purple orbs. "Must I always visit you?"

She bumped her shoulders at his right side and started to walk away. Clueless, the boy ran to meet her front. "Why are you avoiding me?" the redhead questioned but left unanswered as Lenalee behaved like how Lavi did when they first met. She just kept walking away.

"Is it Yu-chan?" She did not even look at the persistent boy.

"Your brother?" She started to rush on her steps.

"Your roommate?" The boots stopped its movement. "She's Karin right?"

Her eyes widened after hearing her roommate's name. Thinking she should just run but it would feel more worse. She gripped her both fists and placed them on her chest, somehow hoping the pain in her heart would fade away. "She… she found about me meeting you… secretly."

The green orb shrunk in size, and slowly relaxed as the boy finally discovered what was bothering her. He paced towards her, meeting her front again. He grinned, because he knew he would not be surprised to see those tears on her eyes. It was already written in his memories, how much the people around this girl meant to her, although he did not fully understand bearing a relationship other than being an apprentice to his grandfather.

The silence was unbearable, even for a talkative Lavi, but he waited patiently for Lenalee to continue after she got hold of herself. "She likes you… so much. I did not tell her I know you… and she's now not talking to me anymore. I want to help her about her parents but she would not let me… I tried… talking to her…. But she avoided me… she.. she hat—"

"The Morrison group are coming to town for a special business seminar tomorrow." Lavi interrupted her, his patience running low. Puzzled, she looked at the green hood boy and realised the name he mentioned. That was Karin's last name. Then, it would mean, her parents…

"Her parents' coming to town tomorrow?" Lenalee gasped at Lavi. "B-But how do you know?"

"Lenalee, you did not read the daily newspapers, do you? Tish tish," Lavi shook his head but grinned mischievously. "I know about Karin Morrison because she is the same class as me, and the homeroom teacher took attendance by calling out our names. When was that? Ahh, last year January…"

"Lavi!" Lenalee shouted at him, who almost daydreamt, "You have to help!"

"EH?" His jaw dropped, "But why should I be involved?"

Her forefinger pointed at his one eye as another hand rested on her hips, "It was your fault, that you came last night. After all, you're being too popular and hiding and all!"

"What?" He shook both of his hands at her. He deliberately made up a yawn and said, "It is time for me to take a very very very long nap. See ya!"

"You must help me!" Lenalee begged him with those puffy purple eyes. He tried his best to resist them, but his head gave way by nodding in agreement. _What do she have in plan, that actually got to do with me?_ Lavi wondered.

* * *

><p>The town was named Innocence for the peace they have uphold for centuries. The town council was once run by the royal blood but ever since the last heir was assassinated, the highest ranking council member, known as Generals, practiced authority and maintained peace and order. Innocence town have evolved from a agricultural-dependant industry to a ever-growing technological strategic location for more entrepreneurs taking on new businesses. Innocence's economy have grown to be mature and stable. It became so attractive for successful businessmen to invest here.<p>

Arrived at one of the classical French restaurant in town, Karin wore a violet evening gown, exposing her tanned legs, feet covered with gold-coated heels. Accompanied with a pair of pearl earrings, she braided her blond silky hair which rested on her left shoulder and a few curls decorated at her ears. She could have been more prettier if she could at least smile. She slowly paced on the red carpet to the entrance door, when a red rose appeared at her lips. Her blue eyes traced the holder of the flower and they absorbed the image of the boy in front of her.

Crimson spiky hair was combed perfectly to his taste. A black eye-patch covered his right eye. He wore a diamond stud only on his right ear. In a dark blue vest and white crispy shirt, a black tie covered his collared neck. He wore his favourite white pants with tall dark brown boots. The emerald green left eye smiled at the pair of blue eyes which were admiring at his appearance. The boy came closer and greeted her with a smile, "Good evening, Miss Morrison. You look lovely today. Strike!" He showed his thumbs up.

"G-Good eve-evening, Mr. B-Bookman," she stammered, as she gently grabbed the rose from his hand. The boy's smile was so charming that she could have melt at that spot right now. He snickered and said, "Just call me Lavi."

Cheeks blushing, knees shaking, why is he here again?

"I read from the papers that you are meeting your parents," Karin shocked to hear about her dinner being announced on the daily newspaper. The redhead continued, "I would really appreciate if I could join dinner with you. I want to meet your parents. They are worth to meet since they are outstanding guests in this town."

She blushed, feeling slightly proud of her parents since it was because of them, she have an opportunity to be given a rose by the most popular guy in school. He even wanted to accompany her for dinner with her parents.

"Miss Morrison, do you mind if I join?" He displayed his charming grin again, even a short tempered girl like Karin could not resist. She nodded and smiled. It would be like a date with her idol. What could have been better? The redhead offered his arm to be grabbed by Karin and both of them entered the restaurant. The waiters welcomed the couple and both were ushered to the table in the middle of the floor.

A blond haired man with glasses at the bridge of his nose, and neatly cut moustache gazed at his lovely daughter. Next to him was his wife having the same colour of the dress like her daughter, but her yellow hair was tied into a bun, having her dangling ruby earrings seen more obvious. The couple seemed surprised to see their daughter bringing company. Karin and Lavi finally sat facing her parents.

"My dear, who is this young man?" the woman smiled at the boy but the question was posed to her daughter.

"He is Lavi Bookman."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Morrison. You look wonderful with those earrings," Lavi held the mother's hand and kissed her knuckles. The older woman blushed and said, "Thank you, dear boy. You are not bad yourself."

The father just kept quiet and was not looking at Lavi. Lavi offered a handshake but the man refused. Disappointed, Karin should have known her father would not accept Lavi crashing in their dinner. They finally ordered their dishes and was served with wine.

After the first sip of wine, the mother asked Lavi, "So how do you know each other?"

"We are classmates," Karin answered, afraid that Lavi would say they just met at the entrance. It would be embarrassing.

The redhead was surprised of Karin's intervention, but as he grinned, he said, "How humble of you, Karin." She blushed at Lavi calling her name.

"You know I did not attend classes, because it was a bore. In fact, I've known you from the many posters at the sports hall whenever your competition drew nearer."

The blond girl widened her eyes as she looked at her glass of wine. "She is an amazing sprinter and have make our school proud. She is now a roommate with the sprinter prodigy, Miss Lenalee Lee."

"Is that true?" the mother exclaimed as the boy nodded. He continued, "Yes, Mrs. Morrison. They both are going to grab all the gold there is in this field!"

The older woman chuckled at Lavi's comment but the father still remained quiet, appreciating his wine. Karin did not know why but she have the feeling that Lavi wanted to help her get noticed by her parents. Those praises, he knew a lot about her, without her realising it. The redhead then gazed at Karin with his charming eye and smile, somehow giving assurance to her that there was nothing for her to worry about.

Lavi said as he faced the blond girl, "I hope I know enough to go out with you, Karin."

The moment her cheeks were getting redder, the quiet old man finally rebutted by banging his fist on the table. "What complete rubbish!" The other three was surprised at the sudden blurt. The redhead jolted on his seat, as he moved a little further from the man's daughter.

Lavi gulped as the raging father demanded, "Then, tell me, how many awards she won for Black Order High."

"4 Golds and 2 silvers."

"What is her middle school?"

"Star Valley Middle School."

"What is the brand of her shoes?"

"Adidas."

"What is her favourite colour?" Lavi bit his lips. He knew he read enough about Karin before coming for this dinner, but personal stuff about her, he did not even bother to remember. The late mere seconds of giving an answer would be obvious that he did not know. He looked at Karin's dress, "Violet?"

"No, it's baby pink." The father smirked and crossed his arms. Karin was just dumbfounded of what had just happened. The father became overprotective once Lavi asked her out. But she thought they did not even care.

Not admitting defeat easily, Lavi said, "Well, I may not know all her personal favourites but at least I came to her competition once."

Somehow, the atmosphere drastically changed, as if the redhead just let the bomb fall and exploded on the table. The parents' guiltiness spread across their faces. Karin would never dare to bring up the topic to her parents, because she knew nothing good would come out of it. Lavi, he said it so easily. What she did not know, Lavi was prepared for fists flying onto his face.

After the awkward moment of silence, the older man adjusted his glasses and spoke, "Yes, we may not come for her competitions but it does not mean we never watch it. We always sent someone to come to her competition and captured a video of it. The tapes, they are always with us."

The man carried out the black leathered luggage beneath the table. Karin knew that suitcase as she remembered it every time she meet her parents after any of their business trips. Her mother then spoke, "We always tried so hard to come but we can't. Don't worry, my dear daughter. You should know we are always proud of you."

Tears started building up in her eyes, unsure whether to feel happy or touched of the words she have been waiting to hear. Those eyes gazed at her parents' smiles of pride of their daughter. All this while, their parents have been secretly watching her and supporting her in spirit. Karin was just too blinded of what she could only see physically when she should know that only her parents would go for such a length to carry the tapes of her competitions everywhere they go.

She wiped her tears but her other hand was grabbed by the older man across her. "Karin, we are sorry for not being with you always."

"It's… it's okay. I understand." Karin grinned at her father as she responded her father's touch by grabbing his hand too. She looked at her mother who smiled at her back. Lastly, she gazed at the redhead on her left. Lavi gestured at her with his famous thumbs up.

Dinner arrived their table and the four ate merrily. Instead of the usual talking about the parents' trips over the world, they were talking about the couple's school life. Karin enjoyed dinner so much she did not want it to end. To discover her parents have always been watching her, having Lavi as her date, it was like a dream come true.

The parents hugged her and kissed each other cheeks before bidding each other goodbye. Lavi opened the door of the cab and Karin slid in the passenger seat followed by Lavi. The car drove back to her dormitory. Lavi also alighted there. He sent her to the porch when Karin bowed to him.

"Th-Thanks for today, Lavi," She said loudly before she rose to stand straight.

"The thanks should be to your roommate, Karin." He smiled at the surprised Karin. "She was the one who planned of me crashing in your dinner. Most of what I said is what I memorised what she wrote for me."

"Lenalee," Karin giggled at relief, thinking about her roommate. How could Karin be so dumb? She should have known that Lenalee have planned all of this.

She gazed at the redhead who continued to say, "Yeah, that girl may not know how it feels of getting parents' pride but she is trying her best to be a good roommate. The reason that she did not want to tell you about me and her is that she did not want to betray me and you. I hope you girls worked something out okay?"

Karin nodded with a smile. Lavi grinned back and turned away to run down the steps of the porch.

"Lavi," Karin stopped the redhead before he went further away, "Well, hmm… I admit you are cute and all but I'm quite disappointed of you."

"Eh?" the redhead gazed back at the blondie. She laughed mischievously and said, "I guess you are not that smart as I thought you were."

"Where does all this criticism come from? I want my big thanks back." The redhead crossed his arms, slightly angry at Karin's remark. She just giggled to see the grumpy Lavi.

She pointed her finger at Lavi's face, "Remember this, Lavi. You only have a date with the girl you have feelings for."

"Well, I have a feeling for you, a feeling of pity," he pouted at Karin's so-called advice.

"Now don't get grumpy on me. You are so cute!" Karin chuckled, pulling back her curls behind her ears, "What I meant to say is you should date the girl you like. Otherwise you will break someone's heart."

The green eye looked away as he tried his best to comprehend what the girl just said. He knew he only did this for Lenalee's sake. Karin was not really the girl that he like but he did date her. And what about breaking someone's heart? He rubbed his red hair as his brain searched deeper and it got more complicated. Karin just smiled and wished him goodnight. The young man wished her back as he walked away from the porch.

* * *

><p>Karin reached the door of her room and unlocked it. There, she saw Lenalee was sitting by her desk, busy writing something. Karin left her keys and bag on the small table. She approached the dark green hair as Lenalee spiralled up to meet Karin.<p>

"Hey… um… how… how's dinner?" She could not continue to ask more as Karin grabbed her and hugged her tight. Karin's eyes begin to wet. "Thanks, thanks Lenalee. The dinner was great! My parents do noticed me! I'm so happy!"

Karin released Lenalee from her embrace and the soft purple orbs looked at the blue eyes. Playing with her fingers, Lenalee asked, "So… can we still be roommates?"

"Yeah, silly!" Karin patted Lenalee's head and smiled, "But if you forced me to go out with Lavi again, you can never have him for yourself anymore."

"But I… I never intended to hide him from you. It's just that…"

"He is the first boy you talked to, right?" Karin guessed but she believed it was right, since the cheeks on Lenalee turned red. "I won't be surprised if he is going to be your first love."

"What?" Lenalee blurted in shyness. Karin rested her arm on Lenalee's shoulders, and announced, "Leave it to me. I make sure he will fall in love with you." Karin giggled at the idea but her arm was shoved away from the dark green haired girl.

"No, don't do anything. I'm fine with being friends with him." Lenalee grinned at her but Karin just blinked hard at what Lenalee have said. _Are you that naïve, Lenalee? You are so obvious, having feelings for Lavi but why don't you want to admit it?_

_Karin, I should be the one making him falling in love with you. _The thought lingered in the dark green girl's head as she continued to finish her work.

O.o To be continued... :P


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

At long last, after long dreary hours of lecturing, the school bell was proven not faulty as it rang loudly. All the classes were dismissed. The classroom of 1-A finally was emptied when Allen and Lenalee were the last to leave.

"Gosh, Lenalee," Allen whined suddenly as both of them walked across the hallway to the lockers, "How in the world are we going to do that assignment?"

Lenalee chuckled at Allen's stress on the assignment mentioned just before the class ended. It was Home Economics, taught by Mr. Jerry. He just made up an assignment since there was no homework to be given to the class. The assignment was to find recipes of different Asian cuisines existed in this town. It also required the signatures of the chefs who cooked the food as acknowledgement. Lenalee and Allen decided to do the assignment since it was needed to be done in pairs. Yet, what made Allen's head spinning was that the assignment was due the very next day.

"I got work, and I cannot take leave all of the sudden," Allen grumbled as he unlocked his locker roughly.

"It's okay, Allen," Lenalee grinned at him, "We can do it after you finish work."

"No way, Lenalee. I will end work around 6pm in the evening. It would be too late for you."

"It's okay. I can wait."

"But Lenalee, I rather have my head cut off by that idiot swordsman than to be in your brother's office when he found out I brought you out that late." Allen felt chills all over his body after thinking what might happen to him then.

"Trust me, it will be okay. I will see you outside the café at 6pm! See ya later!" Lenalee patted the silverhead's shoulder and strolled away as she met Karin to walk back to their dormitory. Allen just knocked his head on the locker hard, thinking, _I'm so dead._

* * *

><p>An opened book covered Lavi's face as he rested his back against the bark of the tree. The court was so calm and quiet, leaves rustled as the wind blew. The green grass tickled the boy's lower body yet it did not wake him up. He must be dead asleep. An acorn fell on his head, yet he did not fidget. Another acorn fell again yet he did not budge. What about tons of them?<p>

"Ahh!" the redhead was awaken from his slumber when he looked around to be covered by acorns. His eyes were searching for chipmunks but spotted the empty basket carried by a two-pigtailed girl. "Lenalee!"

"Heys! I thought I brought you something when I visit you." She smiled wider, hiding her giggle. Running his fingers into his crimson hair, he pouted, "They are not even edible."

"But there are still called nuts, aren't they?"

"Then, why do you shower me with them?"

"I thought it was fun."

"Well, is this fun?" Lavi picked up a few acorns in his other hand and started shooting some to her. She screamed as she ran away while Lavi chased after her until he ran out of acorns. The both of them kneeled onto the grass, laughing and smiling at each other. "You are really crazy, Lavi."

"Same to you." The redhead chuckled as he laid his back on the grass. Lenalee sat at his side, pulling her knees to her chest. "Lavi, thank you for making Karin happy."

"Yeah." The redhead stared at the sky as he answered her. His eye chased the clouds passing by.

"Lavi?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you like Karin?" The emerald eye glanced away from the clouds and viewed the girl next to him. She was gazing at the sky too, but to ask a question like that, she surely was serious. "Will you go out with her again?"

A sigh escaped his mouth as he said, "Even if I did like her, I won't go out with her again."

"What? Why?" The girl leaned closer to the boy, "Is it… is it the same reason why you hide from everyone else?"

Lavi looked away from Lenalee. He did not want to talk about it. Pulling himself up, he sat beside her and said, "Maybe. Anyway, why are you here?"

She snickered, "I'm bored."

"So when you're bored, you find me. That's good to hear." The redhead crossed his arms and blinked away.

"No, no. Don't think like that. I always wanted to see you. Hmm… tell me, what's… what are your hobbies?" Lenalee tried to start a conversation.

Listing with his fingers, he said, "Reading, sleeping—"

"Sleeping is not a hobby, Lavi."

"It is! I need a good rest after every book. So I won't get those dark circles under my eyes. Look!" He pointed at his emerald eye, "It is super clean! Look at yours, I guess you need take more naps! Or else, I will call you Miss Panda."

Blushed, Lenalee slapped Lavi's shoulder who kept on laughing as he teased her. "Fine! I take a nap right here right now!"

"Eh?" Lavi was surprised as the girl covered her head under her arms and her knees were pulled against her chest. She said in a muffled voice, "But I need a naptime story. So tell me one!"

Watching the girl cuddle made Lavi smile even wider. _She is so… cute._ His hand reached out to stroke her hair or play with her fringe but he pulled it back, knowing he might get a punch on his cheeks. He giggled to himself as he returned back, laying on the grass.

Gazing at the sky, he started his story. "Once upon a time…" he glanced at the quiet girl and continued, "there was a legendary clan who recorded the secrets of history, which was never written or encrypted on any form of material. Secrets which were kept by any empire, kingdom and even as small as a town council. Also, secrets of war, terror, killings and man-made disasters. This clan knew everything."

"Today, only one member of the clan survived, and he called himself Bookman. He was hoping one day, someone would replace him, and take the responsibility of bearing the secrets in the world. But only the one who has the same eidetic memory as him can be chosen. He waited from his own children but none was able. Until one day, he received news that one of his grandsons was born with the said talent. The boy was separated from his parents at once. Yet, having a good memory made the boy able to remember his parents' faces till today."

The redhead took a glimpse of the girl who sat still and did not move. She sounded asleep already, yet he continued, "The boy was brought up around the world, learning different languages and at the same time, absorbing every secret from Bookman. He grew up being naughty and childish though." A chuckle escaped from his lips. "He did not really know how to hang around with people since he always stuck to his grandfather. One day, the boy was forced to stay at the oldest school in Innocence town for a reason he did not know. He was warned not to ever make any relationships. It would burden him and the people around him… when the time Bookman come and brought him away… forever. So… the boy was meant to be alone."

Short breaths was heard from the girl who was before quiet. Lavi sat up and asked, "Lenalee?" He grabbed her arms and opened her cuddle, as he met those teary eyes again. She quickly pulled away her arms from Lavi's grasp and wiped her tears away. "Why… Why do you tell me a sad story for a naptime?"

"I'm not finished yet." Lavi chuckled as he sat cross-legged, smiling at her, "The boy was lonely for only one year. But then there is this girl who was such a crybaby. Not only that, she disturbed the boy's sleep, disturbed his reading, stole his book, made him go practice, rolled him down the hill and the craziest ever, was making him go on a date with a girl he hardly knows."

Lenalee blinked hard as both stared at each other, "I guess the boy is not lonely anymore since that girl comes to his life. See, it's not a sad—"

Half-finished with his sentence, he was embraced by the girl as she hugged him tight, holding both chests close to each other. They could hear each other heartbeats, thumping hard. His shoulder felt wet by the tears of the girl. The scent of the dark green hair was too sweet to endure. The boy's arms began to pull the girl's body closer but the girl already pulled away as she crawled backwards, away from him.

She scratched her head with blushing cheeks, "Um.. I'm sorry I suddenly… did that. I was just… touched… I guess…"

A miserable sigh left the boy's mouth when he realised it was a brief embrace. He did not even get the chance to respond. He thought he would feel nothing because she was not the first girl to hug him. Yet, she gave him the urge to hug her more longer. He laughed nervously, covering his awkward willingness for such an embrace again.

"Is… is that boy you?"

"For me to know, for you to find out." Lavi grinned boyishly.

Lenalee glanced at her watch and had realised the time. "Oh gosh. I would be late."

"Late? Dinner with your brother?"

"No, I have an assignment due tomorrow. I have to meet Allen downtown."

"Allen?" The redhead blinked as he stood up together with Lenalee. She started to walk briskly, "Yeah. Allen's my classmate. I will see you tomorrow again. See ya!"

Watching the girl walked out through the bushes, Lavi came in deep thought. "If Allen is Lenalee's classmate. Then, he is a first year here. So he…"

The boy's left eye widened, "He is Allen Walker!"

* * *

><p>It was a cold night. The town were lit by the sodium in the lampposts. Few people marched down the streets of Kims Avenue. Children chased among one another in their cheery voices. Some couple walked their dogs. Traffic was low yet many cars parked at the kerb. Restaurants were still opened. Among the crowd, Allen was ramming his face on his packed Chinese noodles. Lenalee who walked at his side, observed the boy devoured his third serving.<p>

The girl was wearing her casual long dark green dress, that covered her whole body except her hands. Allen, was still with his bow tie and black vest since he had no time to change after work. They finally obtained four recipes.

"Are you full already?" Lenalee asked with a wide smile.

A huge slurp of noodles sounded and the box was finally emptied, "Yeah! Yummy! Lenalee, I hope when Mr. Jerry have these recipes, he asks the canteen to cook them all. I don't mind spending my pay there."

"Allen." Lenalee laughed at Allen's favour of food. She looked at her files carrying the recipes, "Let's get one more recipe and we are done."

"No way, Lenalee," Allen blurted, "It is already time for bed. You are lucky your brother have not found you here yet."

"But five is good number, isn't it? We can get an A for it!"

Allen sighed to look at the cheerful Lenalee. Her eyes strayed to a Chinese lantern hanged outside a door. Another Chinese restaurant located a few metres from them. Lenalee immediately paced towards the restaurant. Allen threw his empty box and just followed her as he looked around. After a few more steps, he saw a tall sign post saying, 'Earl Street'. Shivers ran down his spine, somehow warning him of something but he could not remember.

They were close towards the restaurant, when they were ran over by a stampede of five huge bodies, pushing them towards the dark alley nearby. The heads were wrapped around by their hoods, and eyes shaded under their dark caps. They did not seem friendly. Lenalee and Allen held their backs against each other, catching their breath and coming to conscious of being surrounded by strangers in an isolated alley.

"Run!" Allen yelled, as both of them scrammed into different directions. Allen landed a fist on the man's stomach and the victim bowed in pain. He ran past him but was grabbed by another man. Lenalee's attempt to jump above the men failed as she was slammed back on the ground. One of them raised his feet to stomp on Lenalee's chest when Allen grabbed the feet and shoved it away. Allen have his body hovered over Lenalee as protection while she laid, aching in pain.

"What… What the hell do you want from us?" Allen barked at them, glaring at them with angry gray eyes. Appeared behind one man, a small girl with dark blue spiky hair entered the circle and crossed her arms. She wore laced blouse and skirts, having an image of a princess. Out of all her beauty, she has dark-coloured skin.

"Allen Walker." The girl approached closer, and left a small gap between Allen's face and the girl's face. "You are really cute but too bad, my boss want you dead."

"What?" Allen gasped but little could he realise, one of the men was aiming to smash his fist on Allen's head. He managed to duck and he grabbed the hand. Allen used enough force to pull the man and rammed his face onto the ground.

The girl suddenly laughed sinisterly, "How harsh of you Allen. Why are you hurting people who are similar to you? They worked for me because they owe us bucks."

Allen released his grip on the man on the floor. He stood up but gestured to Lenalee to remain on the floor. He glanced around him. He knew what the girl meant. He himself owed money to some people and he did work for people just to pay off the debt. Debts that were left by his adoptive father, Master Cross, as well as the loans he used for his school fees.

He glared at the blue-haired girl, "I do not owe you anything. I don't even know you!"

The girl just smirked and laid her eyes on Lenalee. "Boys, kill her off and make it snappy."

Allen have his heart raced faster as he quickly kept his close distance between him and his friend. Lenalee could not comprehend any of part of the conversation. She stood up as fast as she could yet the man near her spotted her abrupt movement and started attacking her with fists. She dodged every attack and managed to kick between the legs. Grabbed Allen's wrist, she pulled him out of the mess. An opening between the huge bodies was seen and her legs carried her in superb speed when she realised her hand which was once holding a wrist was now freed. She looked behind and saw Allen's eyes covered with his sliver locks on his forehead.

"Allen?"

"Sorry, Lenalee. You go without me. Those men, they need my help. They cannot kill off people just to cover their debts. There are more ways to settle them."

The boy's back faced Lenalee who shouted, "But Allen, they're dangerous!"

"Just go! I need to save them even if I have to die—" A slap landed on his face, as the hand giving the pain parted from the skin.

"We are friends, aren't we?" Lenalee yelled at the top of her voice, and Allen remained stunned due to the pain and Lenalee's outburst.

"BOYS!" The sinister girl shouted as all the man charged at the couple. Separated, Allen was hit with punches and kicks as he fell onto the floor. He tried to dodge and even attack as defence but the small body of his was taken advantaged by the bigger bodies. Blood spurted on the floor, leaking from his mouth and nose. Swollen cheeks and ribs, he could not even see clearly. His eyes searched for Lenalee. His left eye was bleeding and closed while the right eye viewed across him.

His lady friend was grabbed by the collar as she hanged on the man's grip above the ground. Her face was swollen and parts of her dress were soaked with blood. Her hair became unkempt and her knuckles were bruised with shades of burn and red. Hands were reaching to stop the man from harming Lenalee but a fatal stomp on his back blew his mind out as the world around him turned black.

The man carrying Lenalee in the air smirked with pervert intentions. "Hmmm…" he licked his lips, "I wonder how you would taste like, gorgeous…"

She tried to kick herself away from the grip but no energy she could summon to push him away. Her eyelids were giving in and the burning sensation of her bruises and scars was taking control of her mind and body. She glanced below her and saw a huge hand reaching for her chest when a red unshaped figure landed on the hand, followed by a yelp of pain from the man. Lenalee was released by the grip as she fell onto the floor. Sustaining her eyes to widen to see, a basketball rolled in front of her.

"Taste my fucking balls, asshole!" A familiar yell from a distance was heard.

"That's sound dirty, stupid rabbit!" It was too familiar.

"Oh really? Explain to me, Yu-chan."

"Shut the hell up! And stop calling me that, idiot!"

Stood two figures from the end of the alley, the gang of five gasped. Red hair held by a green headband, the man had his right eye covered, and holding on his left shoulder a net carrying three basketballs. His partner, having long dark-blue ponytail, slowly removed his wooden sword from its sheath and positioned for attack. They both walked closer as the head of the gang, the girl sneered.

"Well, who invite you, Bookman Junior?" The girl's eyes gazed with irritation.

_Bookman Junior_, Lenalee thought amidst the pain. She tried to stay awake yet her purple orbs finally hid behind her eyelids. Lavi stared at Lenalee's weak state and her friend who was already beaten up and fainted. His green orb glanced back at the five standing huge men.

"Aren't you too young to do this shit…," Lavi said with disgust at the girl, "…Road Camelot?"

"I was bored," She giggled, "and he came to our nest. How lucky of me, I finally found where he stays and where he schooled."

Her eyes suddenly turned from cheerful to sinful devilish beam, "Allen Walker is mine."

She raised her hand and signalled the men to charge towards the two intruders.

Taking out a basketball and he twisted it on his finger, he spoke to his partner, "Yu-chan ready?"

"I kill all of them if I have too," Kanda murmured as he raised his sword at the same level as his eyes. "I despise gangsters."

Two man ran into Lavi, yet the redhead jumped high enough to slam dunk a ball on top on the man's head, drilling it to the ground. Blood oozed as it painted the ground reddish brown. Instincts of the other man fisting towards his head, Lavi hopped over the injured man and swung his net of two basketballs, ramming it onto the man's cheeks. The man who fell stood up again, just in time for another series of punches of the hard ball which was repeatedly came from Lavi's chest towards the man's chest, to the ground and up again to Lavi's chest. The passes were too fast and strong until the man's chest became numb and a last blow of the ball onto his face, the man finally dropped unconscious.

"Wow, this is what I called training!" Lavi smirked at the two bodies lying on the ground. He was about to help Kanda when he saw three bodies already stacked above each other, as Kanda stepped on the top. _Ma, why in the world I should be worried about him? He took on three guys with no problem._

"Idiots," Road shouted, as she started to run away, "I come back with more! This is just the beginning!"

As soon as the girl was not in sight, Lavi hurried to Lenalee and placed his fingers on her neck, finding pulse was still there. He tightened his net onto his shoulder as he lifted Lenalee, one arm on her back and another behind her knees.

His emerald orb gazed at the unconscious face. _Lenalee, why must this happen to you? I should have warned you about Allen when I got the chance._

He was about to leave when he realised Kanda was aiming to stab his sword towards Allen. "O-Oi, Yu-chan! What are you doing?"

"I told him, if I see him near any gang, I'll kill him."

"If you kill him, I will annoy you every night. I make you sure you never sleep!" Lavi smirked at the ponytailed boy who had his shoulders stiffened. "Now, carry him. We need to bring them back."

"Can I just drag him along?"

"No, Yu-chan! Be nice!"

* * *

><p>The brightness and the warmth of the sun entered the room in the infirmary. The silverhead boy had his head bandaged and his cheeks covered with cotton and plasters. His wrist was injected a tube which connected to a plastic sack hanged on a pole near him. His left eye too was covered with bandage.<p>

The right eyelid opened to display a gray orb and the boy glanced the plain white ceiling. He raised his body up and all his painful memories about the previous night came crashing in flashbacks. He gazed on the person who sat next to him.

"Are you okay, Allen?"

"Headmaster?" He recognised the spectacles and the white beret the man wore. He too resembled Lenalee with the same shade of hair. "I'm… I'm okay. Lenalee? Where is she? Is she okay?"

"Yes, she is fine. In fact, she has minor injuries, that soon will recover but your left eye…" Komui paused, "It may take time."

"I'm… I'm sorry about Lenalee. I never expected to be attacked. I do not know them, I swear!" Allen tried to convince her brother that he was not meant to be dangerous to hang around with. "She know me but who is she anyway?"

"She is a Noah," a voice was heard across the room. The gray right eye met the green left eye. The redhead was leaning against the wall, having his arms crossed against his chest. _When did he come in here_, thought Allen.

"She is from the most notorious gang there is in this town. They call themselves Noah's clan."

Komui widened his eyes, to hear the name sounded in his ears. _Allen has connections with that bunch? How did Miss Hevlaska miss that?_

"Who… who are you?" Allen asked, still gazing at the redhead.

"Call me Lavi," he said and grinned. Komui added, "He is your senior. He saved you and Lenalee."

Allen bowed his head at Lavi and said, "Thanks Lavi. But I still don't get it. Why is the Noah after me? I don't have any thing to do with them."

Lavi grinned and explained, "Everyone knows that the town's council was governed by the royal blood in the last few centuries. Ever since the last heir of the crown was killed, the highest ranking member of the council, the Generals took over and run the council. Basically, the Noah are rebels to the council and were after those who run it, mainly Generals."

"I still don't get it," Allen furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.

Lavi sighed and approached closer to Allen as the redhead rested his hands on his hips, "How many of you are there in your family, Allen Walker?"

"Now, hmm… I have no one except my adoptive father."

"Yeah?" Lavi looked fakely surprised, "What is his name?"

"Cross Marian."

"It's General Cross Marian." Allen gaped at what he heard. _That good-for-nothing womaniser is a GENERAL?_

Lavi continued before questions came pouring at him, "The Noah are after the Generals because each of them has a key to the treasure the royal family have left behind. If all the keys are in Noah's hands, not only this town but the whole country can be bought easily, and people will rather go to hell. Wait… I guess I put it too drastically. But yeah."

Komui kept quiet absorbing the bookman's knowledge about the said gang while Allen still stared at the redhead in disbelief. Lavi took a deep breath, and then said, "The Noah are after you because you are related to a General. It is a rule that Generals shall bear no relationships with anyone. The Noah must have found about you already. And General Cross Marian may have the key that lead to biggest share of treasure."

"H-How do you know all this?" Allen asked. Lavi answered with a grin, "I'm a Bookman Junior, the next-in-line holder of secrets in history. Anyway, whatever I said, it is your second year history. So I'm just revising with you. No way I would spill any secrets. Somehow if I did, my head should have huge purple bumps by now."

Allen was confused but smiled at his senior way of talking. The senior seemed so cheerful and funny. The headmaster stood up abruptly but Allen held him back. "Headmaster Komui, where are you going?"

"Back to my office, boy. I have work to do."

"B-But Headmaster, I don't know whether what Lavi said is true, about the Noah are after me but I begged you," Allen bowed his head lower towards his headmaster, "Please don't expel me!'

"Allen," Komui rested his hand on the boy's shoulder and pushed him to lay down. "You should rest. We… we will discuss this later."

"Headmaster, please! I worked hard to get this music scholarship, to stay here! Please, I beg you, don't expel me!"

"Rest well, Allen," the headmaster removed his hand away from the patient as he walked towards the door. Allen was filled with tears, covered his eyes with his left arm. Lavi stood by the boy's bed, watching the upsetting scene. He knew if Allen stayed in this school any longer, the Noah would come and attack this school. It would be too dangerous for the students and staff here. If someone would stop havoc from happening in this school, it would be the headmaster. It is his duty to protect the school from outside influence and terror.

The senior just sat on the chair which was once sat by the headmaster. Komui exited the room and closed the door behind him.

"Brother." His eyes widened and turned behind to meet his crying sister, leaning against the wall for support. "Lenalee!"

"Brother," she murmured under her soft warm breaths, her fever rising as her face flushed red. Her bandages were on arms, neck and cheeks. Komui let her fall on his chest as his arms pushed her straight. "Brother… don't… please… don't expel… him."

"Lenalee, stop doing this," Komui hugged his sister, feeling the pain when hearing his sister begged and he knew he have made his decision to release Allen.

"This school… it's… it's his home, isn't it?" Lenalee continued, her knees weakening due to the fever. "Please… Brother…. Don't…"

As much as she wanted to continue, Lenalee collapsed at her brother's arms. "Lenalee." Komui whispered his sister's name. _Whatever happen to you, wasn't it because of Allen? How could I bear to see you like this? I don't want it to happen again, Lenalee. Please understand._

He beeped on his phone to call Reever who hurriedly appeared at the corridor and assisted Komui, carrying Lenalee back to her bed. Laying on the bed, Komui pushed those dark-green locks off her forehead as she slept peacefully.

_Lenalee, I don't have the courage to face the Noah. I'm not strong and in any power to overcome them. The school don't have the funds to protect Allen and even the other students. I believe it is the best for all of us if Allen leaves. Trust me, Lenalee. Please. I too want a safe home with you, Lenalee._

He kissed his sister forehead and a ball of tear rolled down his cheek.

* * *

><p>Lol, you can call me sissy, i almost cried writing the last part.<p>

Anyway i finally reached 5000 words after writing these comments. Yahooo! XD

Hmmm... i know some parts of the storyline were so not original but this is the same when LAVI (Blink blink blink) was introduced in the anime. SO OF COURSE i wouldn't want to miss the chance to write that part. O.o

Thanks for the reviews again :) Peace :D

Enjoy and hope you like it ! :P


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

The silver head gazed at the orange sky. The sun emitted a warm mirage of smiling Lenalee, teased teachers, canteen food, cheerful Lavi and the fights he had between the sword senior Kanda. His hands clutched on the bed sheets, teardrops wetting the blankets. All this while he thought he found a place he could call home. He was homeless ever since he could remember. He was only six, adopted initially by a man named Mana Walker. They were happy together and they took care of each other. He lost his father in a tragic accident and cost him a scar he could never forget. Mana did leave him a treasure that he cherished until today. It was the ultimate skills of playing the piano.

He kept moving forward, never stopping himself from practising his piano skills. He played in a club everyday when Mana was still alive. When he died, Cross Marian took him and used him to attract customers into the club the red haired man owned. It was dreadful to Allen, because he was entangled with Master Cross's debts. He was sick of it, paying for what he did not owe. As soon as Allen found out of a music scholarship offered by Black Order High, he proposed to his master and the older man agreed. After that discussion, the boy never meet the man again as they parted their ways.

_What if it's true? Headmaster would really let me go? Where should I go? No school would offer a music scholarship. I don't want to go back to the club again. No!_ He shouted in his thoughts. His left fingers circled around his left bandaged eye. Tears were flowing again but was hurriedly wiped off when the door was swung open.

"Yo! Allen!" Lavi appeared at the door with a balloon shaped like a hammer. He approached the boy on the bed and started knocking the balloon hammer on Allen's head. "S-Senior, what that's for?"

"Oh, I could not find a real hammer so I brought this to hit you," Lavi chuckled as he kept on hitting the boy's head with the balloon. Allen gasped, thinking his senior would want to hit him that hard. Lavi laughed even louder, "Allen, I'm joking. I brought this to cheer you up. Well, this is the best I could think of, though. Oh, wait!"

The red head was wearing a black jacket over his normal green T-shirt and white pants. He pulled out a bunch of butter cookies shaped like music notes wrapped with plastic and ribbons tied at the top. "I know you will like this one, piano freak. The infirmary food is boring, I know. They never change, will they? Cheap budget crap."

"T-Thanks, Lavi." Allen accepted the gift but put it aside. The redhead still noticed traces of depression on the silver head's face. Lavi grabbed the chair and sat closer to him.

"What's bothering you, sprout?"

"What did you just call me?"

"Sprout. Yu-chan called you that right? Can I call you that too?"

"No!" Allen crossed his arms and looked away from Lavi, "And who the hell is Yu-chan?"

"Yu is Kanda's first name," Lavi giggled. "You sure I can't call you that, sprout?"

"It's Allen! And no! That idiotic swordsman thinks he's such a big guy. What a snob!"

"Hey hey! Yu-chan was the one who carried you from that pit to here. You should be thankful."

Allen snorted, half-believed half-shocked. The thought of the fight last night reminded him about the men who he wanted to help. "Did you… did you beat them up?"

"Yeah, you should see me dunk—"

"Why!" Allen raged, having his right eye burned through the shocked left emerald eye. "Why did you beat them up? They were not in the wrong. They… They fight to pay their debts. They need help. They could be fathers providing food for their children, or medicine for their sick parents or something? How… how could you beat them?"

The silver head pulled his own hair hard, as he continued shouting. "You could just leave me there. I could help them. You just need to save Lenalee."

"Allen, are you and Lenalee friends?"

The silverhead had his eye widened as he recalled Lenalee slapped him during the fight. He rubbed his cheeks where the slap landed. Yet, he still could not understand what Lenalee meant. It seemed Lavi could understand since he asked the same question. The junior calmed down, letting go his hair and gazed at Lavi.

"Yeah but…" the gray orb relaxed, "I don't understand."

Grinning, Lavi looked at his junior, "Why the both of you went downtown again?"

"We… We got a project to finish. It is a paired assignment."

"Did you do it alone?"

"No, we did it together. No way I would let her do alone either. We even promised to do it together, that's why we did it after I finished work."

Lavi abruptly leaned back against his chair, "Why bother, Allen? You could just go back and rest after work, and Lenalee can just do it on her own while you were working."

"I could not possibly let her do it alone. We are…" Allen blinked hard before he continued to say, "We are friends."

"And you said you wanted to handle those men alone? Tish, sprout. You hit her heart really bad if she heard that," Lavi said as he shook his head in disappointment . "You were quite selfish though."

"Stop rubbing it in!" Allen shouted, feeling his heart tattooed with the word 'Bad'.

"As my junior and one-eyed buddy," Lavi poured a glass of water and passed it to Allen, "You should not let the world's weight rest on your shoulders."

Lavi rose to the windows and viewed the sky getting darker. The silver head watched his senior perched his arms on the window edge. "The chain of people in debts will never cease, even if you have a gazillion dollars in your pocket and offer your help. People will still borrow and loan no matter what. It was their decision, shouldn't you respect them? I know the men we've beaten up were in debt, but we make sure they were in too much pain to work anymore. So rest assured you won't see them if we encounter that demonic girl again."

Lavi chuckled and viewed the boy's inspired face. Allen smiled and said, "I'm sorry, Lavi. Thanks for your advice, senior!"

Allen saluted at the redhead. Lavi saluted back, and ruffled the boy's hair.

"Say, Lavi. Even if I did not get to stay in this school, can we be friends?" the silver head asked.

Lavi stared at the boy, as he recalled the warning of his grandfather. He already crossed the border of limit when he met Lenalee. Now, without him knowing, he was making more friends. He was afraid he could not pull the act any longer, being someone who had no heart to care for anyone but himself. His basketball team was his first step and now making friends with the target of notorious Noah, Allen, he was uncertain he was making the right decision.

"Well, silence means consent! We are friends!" Allen cheered in excitement, shaking his senior's hand. Lavi just grinned, looking at Allen's relieved face. To see that smiling face made Lavi always feel more alive. Not only on Allen, but his basketball team, Karin, and especially Lenalee.

"Yeah, I guess so." Lavi smiled.

* * *

><p>Lenalee had a bandage on her forehead and right cheek. She sat on her bed, as Karin persuaded her to eat dinner. She had not eaten ever since she woke up from her unconsciousness after she met her brother.<p>

"Lenalee, come on, eat!" Karin cheered in her happiest voice she could project, yet the dark green haired girl would not give in. The spoon which carried the rice reached her lips but those lips did not part at all. Karin have been trying for hours yet she would not rest until she knew her roommate have eaten.

"Hey ya!" Lavi popped in, after visiting Allen. He saw the whole scene of spoon near her mouth and still warm bowl of porridge untouched.

"Lavi!" Karin shouted in relief, seeing there was hope that Lenalee would eat.

"Heys Karin! How's Lenalee?"

"She's not eating." Lavi went on the other side of the bed, facing opposite of Karin. He handed out a bouquet of dailies to be grabbed by Lenalee. "Here, for you."

"T-Thanks." Lenalee murmured as Karin interrupted, "Wow, how do you know that is her favourite flowers?"

"I just need to ask any boy along the corridor," Lavi snickered, "They will tell me. Super easy."

Karin sighed, she was expecting a romantic answer. She rolled her eyes, and put the bowl of porridge away on the table. "Well, I feel awkward here, do I? I shall have a break!"

Karin announced and left the room, leaving Lavi confused and Lenalee gazed on the dailies. Those purple orbs were fixed on the flowers. The red shades under her eyes were certainly due to her long weeping on the possible outcome of Allen leaving school. Allen was so close to her as her classmate. They talked in class, assisted each other in lessons and they never quarrel. A close friend to her, she never thought it would last a while.

Somehow her heart has given her the certainty that her brother would definitely released Allen. After all, she have eavesdropped the whole conversation between Lavi, Komui and Allen at the door. She knew about the Noah gang targeting Allen. After experiencing herself what the gang could do to her and Allen, it was obviously the right choice to remove Allen from Black Order High. But how could Lenalee face the fact that the school released her close friend just to keep the school safe and let him die when caught by the gang? It was unbearable and heartbreaking.

Dwelling in her thoughts, she let tears fell down again despite her red haired friend was at her side. Teardrops fell onto the flowers which was gripped tighter by those delicate hands. Out of the blue, Lavi stood up and began searching for something. He flipped under Lenalee's blanket, opened the drawers, looked under the bed, shifted the pillow and continued searching.

"Man where is it?" Lavi murmured. Lenalee wiped her tears and looked at the panicking boy searching for something he lost.

"What is it you finding?" She asked but the boy just kept on searching. "Lavi?"

"I lost it, I can't find it." Lavi rubbed his hair, as he continued flipping the curtains, popping his head outside the window. He even opened the doors of the wardrobe. Lenalee knew this is the first time Lavi entered her room. He could not have touched the wardrobe or even left anything here.

"Tell me what are you finding? Isn't this your first time here?"

"That's not the problem, Lenalee. I always see it with me. But I couldn't find it!"

"What is it?" Lenalee barked at him. Lavi rested his hands on his hips and sighed. The redhead came closer to her. She realised the distance between them were too close. She tried to pull back away from the boy when he plucked a flower from the bouquet. He placed the end of the stem of the daisy into the hair above her ear.

He grinned and said, "Your sweet smile. I lost it."

The purple orbs widened at the emerald one, cheeks blushing and finally appeared a smile on her face together with a chuckle. Lavi cheered, "Yes! I found it!"

Lenalee pushed Lavi's face away from her, as shyness was taken control of her actions. "You are really crazy, Lavi."

"Yeah, and cute, strong, that's why every one loves me. Don't forget smart and cute. Oh, I said that already. Who cares."

"Lavi."

Lenalee just couldn't help herself from smiling. Lavi's warm aura was engulfing her weak sobbing heart. The boy sat down on the chair and showed his empty right palm at Lenalee. Before he could open his mouth to ask Lenalee for the bowl so he could feed her, Lenalee mistakenly placed her hand on it, inducing a surprise jerk on Lavi's shoulder as he blushed.

Slowly, the hands tightened their hold, as she said, "Lavi."

"Hmm?"

Her both hands soon clasped on Lavi's hand and her grip grew stronger, "I promise this would be the last thing I ask you. Please… Please don't let Allen leave!"

"Lenalee."

"I know I sound selfish for asking you to help me every time. But… but for the last time, and I promise I wouldn't ask anymore. Please… Lavi."

Lavi looked away, in pain to see those teary eyes and his hand feeling her will of Allen staying despite the danger upon her classmate. His heart knew he did not want let Lenalee down. For him, Lenalee have become part of his life and to see her cry in injured body was painful to his heart. He slowly placed his other hand onto the hands between them.

"Don't worry, Lenalee." He grinned and nodded. The girl's head just fell on the clasped hands, sobbing again.

* * *

><p>Komui drank his coffee and glanced back on his desk, lit only by his lamp table in his dark office. The forms of expulsion on Allen Walker was just left to be signed by him. He took a deep breath and raised his fountain pen. The tip of the pen was touching a black line in the signature box when a knock was heard on his door. Puzzled, he voiced, "Come in."<p>

The door screeched as it was opened. The person slowly approached the table and the light have propagated enough to shine on the person's crimson hair.

"Lavi?"

"I… I have a suggestion to offer you, Headmaster."

* * *

><p>Another day of school begun as students entered the building. Lenalee have less bandages on her yet she found herself still weak. She was placing her books inside her locker and Karin stood by her side, watching her just in case she needed help. Some of her classmates knew about what have happened to her and Allen. Yet, they seemed not informed about Allen's expulsion.<p>

"Cheer up, Lenalee," Karin passed her a bottle of water and Lenalee took a sip of water. "Thanks, Karin. I will try."

Karin escorted Lenalee to her classroom when suddenly all the girls in the hallway rushed out towards the entrance. Lenalee and Karin blinked in shock at the abrupt behaviour of the students, crowding the entrance and as if welcoming some superstars who were arriving.

Appeared at the entrance, a short silver head boy walked in with a bandage on his left eye and dressed in his school uniform. What made everyone cheer and Lenalee gasped was to see Lavi in his school uniform walking at his junior's side. He carried Allen's schoolbag and ushered the boy in.

"Wow, Lavi. You were right. You have a fanclub. A crazy one."

Allen whispered at his senior. Lavi just snickered at him and continued walking. Just in time, a girl tried to grab Lavi away from Allen when the red head quickly hid behind another boy who was standing behind him.

"Yu-chan!" The redhead shrieked as he grabbed Kanda by his shoulders. The girl halted to see Kanda positioning to take out his sword. "Save me!"

"Stupid rabbit. I can't believe you dragged me into this shit," the blue-haired boy grumbled at the boy behind him. The three boys continued to walk down the hallway while the crowd of students observed them. It was a surprise Lavi has entered the school building. It would be chaos, fangirls and teachers hovering over the red head but since Kanda was around him, he was somehow protected. It is safely said, balanced.

The trio approached Lenalee and Karin who still gaped in shock. Lavi chuckled as he stood in between Kanda and Allen. "Hey Lenalee! Karin!"

The girls just waved, still spacing out. "How are you, Lenalee?" The silver head approached closer to Lenalee who instantly came to her senses.

"I-I'm fine, Allen," She smiled, "What about you?"

"I'm fine." He smiled widely, seeing Lenalee smiling at him cheered him up.

"B-But Lavi," Karin interrupted the juniors' reunion, "Why are you actually physically here?"

Lavi laughed as he laid his arm on Allen's shoulder, "I'm Allen's personal body guard. And Yu-chan is my personal bodyguard. Yu-chan, he can take care of himself."

"WHAT?" The girls shouted, surprised at what they heard. Lavi grinned and smiled, "Headmaster Komui told me that he did not have funds to hire a guard for Allen. So I hired myself. I'll be with him when he is around school, leaving school and coming back from work. In that way, I would know if the gang tried to attack him, or planning to attack him when he is in school."

"I don't believe this!" Karin blurted, "I too wanted to be targeted by the Noah. Who wouldn't want Lavi be their bodyguard? Damn, Allen, you are lucky."

Allen chuckled, "Yeah, I guess so. I'm really grateful for Lavi's help. He already saved me—"

A loud cough escaped the quiet ponytailed boy. Allen rolled his eyes and continued, "Well, Lavi and Kanda have saved me and Lenalee. They are willing to protect me too. But I promise I attend fighting lessons with them, so I could protect myself."

Lavi nodded, "Yeah. In that way, hopefully, we are prepared if Noah tried to attack again. In conclusion, Allen will not be expelled. Now, who could come up with such a smart idea like that?"

The redhead chuckled but Lenalee remained quiet as she realised she might have asked for too much from Lavi. Having him as Allen's bodyguard, it would mean lesser time for Lavi to have his usual time to read and rest. She even made Lavi to be more exposed to the people in school and also the perils of the Noah. All of this, Lavi is willing to put his life for her. She felt too grateful that she owed her life for Lavi.

Her thought was disrupted when the one bandaged eye approached her. He bowed at her, and said, "Lenalee, I'm sorry for what have happened. And my selfishness when we tried to run from them."

Recalled of that significant moment, she placed her books on the boy's head, "Please don't ever… do it again. I forgive you."

Lavi smirked, seeing the scene very familiar. Kanda was just waiting impatiently while Karin was still amazed at the turnout. The school bell rang and the homeroom teacher was approaching. Lenalee removed her books from Allen as she instantly paced into the classroom.

"Well, go inside class, sprout." Kanda suddenly blurted, taking advantage of the situation where Allen was being mad at.

"Shut up, BaKanda!" Allen yelled at him as he rushed inside when he saw Kanda gripping his sword. Karin and Lavi just sighed.

Karin who was still at the door of the classroom, glanced at Lavi and then at Kanda. "I still don't get why Kanda is willing to help."

"Correction," Kanda started to move away, "I was forced."

Lavi giggled, "I promise him that I do the laundry from now on. And he get the chance to kick some gangsters' asses. Well, let's go for class! We meet them for lunch. Gosh, I can't wait to tease Cloud-sensei."

Karin smirked, knowing that Lavi love to irritate their history teacher. The three of them strolled down the hallway towards their classroom.

"Lavi!" The redhead turned around to see Lenalee at the door, and she grinned widely, "Thank you so much!"

Lavi smiled back, and turned away, catching up with the other two down the hallway. _I guess I don't want to lose that smile of her again._


	11. Chapter 11

**Yo! Hehehehe. I miss writing again. I was busy. Sorry sorry sorry for the long long long wait! Well here goes.**

**Recap: Lenalee, a famous sprinter, have never fell in love. As she entered Black Order High school, she met a redhead who happens to be the hearthrob of the girls in school. Many incidents occurred which made them closer and they started to develop feelings for each other. However, Lenalee knew Karin, her best friend is in love with Lavi too, and she decided to support her when the fact is, Karin is supporting her in turn. In the last chapter, Allen was discovered being targeted by the infamous and dangerous Noah gang because of his relationship with General Cross Marian, who was one of the committee governing Innocence town. For Lenalee's sake, Lavi have offered himself and Kanda to protect Allen. **

**What will happen next? Will Lenalee and Lavi finally confess their feelings to each other? Will Allen continue to stay in school? Read more about it here, in my most updated chapter 11! **

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN DGM.**

* * *

><p>Chapter 11<p>

The morning breeze sways in melody of sounds escaping through the gap of the windows in the classroom. She heard it loud and clear since she sits next to the window. The young lady with fringed hair covering her forehead and the rest of her hair tied in two pigtails rests her chin on her palm and her elbow on the table. The Literature textbook is opened before her yet her eyes watches the distraction of dancing pink petals which flew past her.

_Lavi._

Images of their first meeting at the track appeared in her gaze. The way the emerald orb shone when she fell on top of him. The way his flame red hair swayed with the wind when he raised his thumbs-up at her. Ordinary it may seem to many, but she knew her heart find him special. Someone who she cannot regard as just an ordinary schoolmate. The redhead have proven his title of being the wisest student in school after giving her advice on her unfortunate acquaintance with Kanda. He also improved his role as the captain of the basketball team and still claimed victory with his team. Going on a date with Karin was the most out-of-ordinary thing he could ever done. Now, he is sacrificing his free time in safeguarding the targeted Allen from Noah ever since the tragic incident which occurred at the Earl Street.

_Smart. Charming. The best thing is he have such a caring heart. He's taking care of Allen. He helped Karin with her parents. Sometimes he can be so talkative and whiny but overall, I have to agree with his fangirls. He is every girl's dream prince. I wonder, what he would think of me? Am I pretty enough for him? Woah… wait a second. What am I thinking? Am I having feelings for him? As in, those feelings? No! Karin, she likes Lavi too. In fact, they went out together before. She is much prettier than me. Blonde curls, blue eyes. She knows how to dress and she's from a rich family. I only know how to run faster than her. I guess Lavi would just look at me like a helpless friend. _

"Lenalee!"

The female mature voice vibrates loudly across the room as the called girl springs on her feet in shock. The other students in the classroom turn to look at the standing girl.

The Literature teacher puts down her book on the desk and she lowers her spectacles to view her student who is clearly not paying attention. "Are you paying attention, Miss Lenalee?"

The dark-green haired girl flinched, "Y-yes, yes Madam Helen."

"Really?" The older woman crosses her arms across her chest, "Then tell me what my last sentence is?"

Hurriedly Lenalee searches the pages of her Literature book, hoping she have drawn something or somewhere to find the answer. Regrettably, she should not even think of Lavi in Madam Helen's lessons. She is by far the most stringent teacher when it comes to paying attention in class. Before she lifts her head up to face the teacher, her eyes happen to glance at Allen who obviously pushes his textbook at the edge of his table for Lenalee to see. A grin creeps on his face as she bows slightly in thanking him.

Lenalee picks her book up and reads the lines Allen have highlighted. Madam Helen raises her eyebrow, knowing it is correct. Yet she was certain that Lenalee was daydreaming.

"Good," the teacher pushes her spectacles higher on her nose, "Don't let me catch you daydreaming. I won't hesitate to have a word with the headmaster about you if it happens."

Lenalee nods and takes her seat. Sighed, Lenalee grabs her pen and keeps her focus in the lesson. Her eyes dart towards Allen who eventually realised and looks at her. She just smiles again as Allen chuckled in amusement at Lenalee who almost gets caught for dreaming in class.

* * *

><p>An hour past and the school bell at long last rings for lunch. The students in class 1-A rise and bow to the teacher with a greeting of thanks before the teacher leaves. Everyone have left the classroom except for Allen who struggles to keep his things in his bag with just his right eye. His left eye is still bandaged. Lenalee approaches him and aids him before all his belongings on the table fall out of place.<p>

"Thanks, Lenalee," Allen grinned after zipping his bag, ready for lunch. Lenalee shakes her head and said, "No problem."

As Allen stands from his seat, Lenalee gazes at his bandaged eye and then realised the scar Kanda have once mentioned. It was a tattoo of a red pentacle above his left eyebrow.

"Allen, can I ask you something?" Lenalee asks while Allen turns to face her.

"Yeah?"

"The tattoo. How did you… I mean, why did you… uhm, it's okay if you don't want to talk about it. Silly me." She giggles nervously as she senses the change of expression on Allen's face when she asks him.

Allen still puts on the same gentle smile but his eyes gazes on the window instead of her. "I have it when I lost my foster father."

"I'm sorry… but… _foster_ father?"

"I don't know who my real parents were. I grew up with Father ever since I could remember. We were such a happy family. I got my skills in playing the piano from him. He's the piano genius, I'm telling you."

Allen manages a chuckle recalling his father's talent. "Who could have thought then that his life was taken away so early in my life? I was just 10 to witness Father being hit by the truck. A day after his funeral, I met a gypsy woman who told me I could bring him back alive. I was so naïve to follow whatever methods she taught me to do. She gave me this tattoo, damaged my hair and made me do lame performances at the streets."

"Allen…" Lenalee takes a step closer to Allen who is taller than her by inches.

"Soon, I realised that it was the woman's tricks on me to earn money as she sold me to Master Cross. I survive under his care as long as I can play the piano in his club. It makes me feel that Father is still around."

Feeling his right eye getting wetter, Allen rubs it and scratches his hair. He tries to chuckle, hoping to change the mood of the conversation when he notices the crying purple orbs.

"Lenalee?"

Her arms embraces him tightly as she cries on his shoulders. "You… are always… alone?"

Lenalee knew how it feels to lose her parents at such a young age. She lived in her childhood alone when her brother have to leave for college studies. However, she still have Reever with her but Allen, he have no one. Master Cross does not seem to be a man who cares for Allen, by judging how Allen talked about him.

Allen responds her hug as he holds her tighter. "It's okay, Lenalee. Don't cry."

* * *

><p>Exiting the classroom, a blonde girl walks out alongside the redhead who wears an eye-patch covering his right eye. A group of girls already gathers outside to meet the popular basketball captain. As soon as they step out of the door, Lavi hangs his arm above Karin's shoulder.<p>

"Sorry girls! I'm taken!" Lavi shouts, followed by a chorus of crying and sorrowful murmurs. In seconds, the crowd slowly dispersed. An elbow pokes on Lavi's stomach.

Karin yells, "Why do you do that for, jerk?"

Lavi chuckles in his cheerful voice, "Kanda's not around, since he left so early. I must come up with something, right?"

She blinks away and strides faster than him. _What is he thinking? What if Lenalee heard that? She must be very upset. So much for being smart. He seems as clueless as Lenalee with their feelings for each other. How can they be so dumb? _

"Wait up, Karin! Are you really that mad?" Lavi walks at her side, giggling.

"Like duh, I am! How can you confess such a thing? Now the girls thinks I'm your girlfriend or something."

"What? You don't want to be my girlfriend?" Lavi continues to tease her.

She freezes into a halt and turns swiftly to face Lavi. "Do you actually understand the meaning of girlfriend? Because, you wouldn't mind going out with a girl you hardly know. Plus, you confess having a girlfriend whom you don't even care."

Lavi gestures at Karin to calm down. To giggle again, it would be pouring fuel to the fire. "Relax, Karin. The next time they gather, I announce that you're not, okay?"

"It makes you sound like a flirt," Karin grumbles as the redhead grins.

"Hate me as much as you love me."

"Are you nuts!" Karin burst in anger but Lavi still stands there in his usual carefree and calm posture. His uncovered eye stares something behind her. Karin moves to see the direction of his attention which is the door of class 1-A a distance from them.

"Allen, he's, without a doubt, a potential victim of the Noah gang. If those girls continue to mob around me when I'm protecting Allen, I can't promise I can save them."

That is the reason why Karin continue to admire the redhead. Despite his foolishness in certain areas of life, he is as charming as always and his wise attitude in handing the matter on his own.

Karin slaps Lavi's back and laughs. "Being a superhero huh?"

Lavi burst into laughter. "What? Superhero? I can't fly."

"Jerk," Karin rolls her eyes and continues to walk towards the classroom, "Let's go and call them out. I'm starving."

As soon as they reach the door of the classroom, Karin opens her mouth to call Lenalee and Allen out when her blue eyes set on the two embracing each other. After a few seconds later, Lavi comes at Karin's side and he have his eye widened at what he saw. Karin looks at Lavi who immediately looks away from the scene, hiding any instant expressions on his face. She would have expected Lavi to pull Lenalee off Allen but he just stands there, ignoring the obvious.

"Lenalee!" Karin calls as the dark-green haired girl looks up to see the pair at the door.

"K-Karin." Lenalee quickly releases her arms around Allen as she realises Lavi looking away from them. She blushes in upmost embarrassment that Lavi have seen her hugging another guy so close and tight.

Allen just acknowledges them with a wave. "Hi seniors!"

Karin crosses her arms across her chest, "What are you guys doing?"

Lenalee muttered, "We… we're just…"

Lavi turns to face Lenalee who struggles to explain. Sighed, he knew he did not want to know why because it might somehow hurt him.

"I'm starving!" Lavi interrupts as he rubs his stomach with a grin. Karin just stares blankly at him. "Hey sprout! Let's go."

"Don't call me that!" Allen shows his irked face as he stomps towards the taller redhead. "Come on, Lenalee."

Lenalee just nods and steps towards the door, still blushing after what have happened. The four of them walks at the hallways to the canteen. Before Karin could get her hands on Lenalee who was caught flirting with Allen, a man appears before Lenalee along the corridor.

"Miss Lenalee."

"Reever?" Lenalee halts her pace and turns to her butler, as Johnny and Tapp approaches behind him.

"I was ordered to accompany you for lunch. And Master Komui wants me to make sure you are not close with Allen at this period."

"What?" Lenalee gasped.

"It's okay, Lenalee," Allen smiled.

Lenalee faced Allen, "But… that's not fair."

Allen just giggled, "I have Lavi to accompany me. I meet you after lunch. See ya. Let's go, Lavi-senpai."

"Yeah," Lavi joins in, "See you later Lenalee, Karin."

The two boys walks further away and disappears into the crowd in the canteen. The three bodyguards usher Lenalee and Karin to a table at the corner of the canteen where food is already served.

"They are specially cooked by the maidens in Komui's mansion," Reever announces as Lenalee and Karin take their seats.

* * *

><p>"Hmm, it's delicious!" Karin cheered after her meal yet Lenalee only have her first bite.<p>

"Eat, Lenalee. You're getting skinny." Karin comments on Lenalee who obviously ignores her.

"Skinny?" Lenalee asks in surprise.

"Yes," Karin confirms, "And I don't think Lavi likes skinny girls."

"You are not skinny, Karin."

The blonde girl slaps her forehead and drinks her tea. Irritated at how naïve Lenalee is, she slams her cup down. On the other hand, the pigtailed girl gazed at the two boys chatting a distance away from her.

_What are they talking about? Is it about me? They're both laughing. _

"Who're you looking at?" Karin asks her with a cheeky smile. Lenalee blushes and blinks away from where she was staring.

"No one," Lenalee grins nervously and feeds herself with another bite.

_This is it. I should use this opportunity to make her wake up and realise her feelings for Lavi. The only way is to make her jealous. I mean, extremely jealous! _Karin thinks hard in her mind.

"You're obviously into Allen, right?"

"W-what?" Lenalee nearly chokes on her food. She grabs her glass of water and drinks as she listens to Karin.

"You hug him."

"I can explain that. I was touched when I heard his past. That's all."

"You went out a date with him that night."

"It was an assignment. We didn't do anything else."

"It's settled," Karin gives her widest smile, "Allen is yours, and Lavi is mine."

Karin could have swore that she sees envy in Lenalee's eyes when she concludes her statement. _It is working! Come on, fight back. Argue with me, that you deserve him more than me. Come on. Give it to me, Lenalee._

"I guess you're right, Karin," Lenalee managed a smile out of her shock. "You went out with him, and you can be with him more longer than I ever could. You deserve him."

Karin glares at Lenalee as her hopes of making Lenalee to confess her feelings finally ended. Clenching her fists, she looks at Lenalee intensely, "Then, ask him to kiss me."

Lenalee jerks on her seat and drops her spoon into her plate. _Kiss? No, I must have heard wrongly._

"You heard me. Tell him to kiss me." Karin dared again.

Lenalee rests her fists on her lap as her eyes watches Lavi who stands up to the canteen stall. _How could I ask him for that? It's insane. _

Karin then adds more anxiety, "It's obvious he will listen to you. Are you hesitating, Lenalee? You won't do it for me? Maybe I'm just not as good as Allen for you to ask for such a thing, right?"

Dragging her chair roughly, Lenalee stands up and walks away from the table. Then Karin realised what a stupid mistake she have done. She only meant to tease and make her confess, not to ask Lavi to kiss her. Karin calls her back but Lenalee is too far away from where she is shouting.

Viewing the menu of the canteen stall, Lavi still have not decided what to buy for lunch yet. Amidst his thoughts, he glances at his left to see Lenalee walking towards him. He continues to be busy on the menu when Lenalee reaches his side.

"Yo, Lenalee," Lavi smiles at her, "Have you eaten?"

"Yes," the girl replies with a grin.

"Cool. I'm still deciding. It's been a long time I've eaten lunch here. What is nice?" His eyes scans through the menu.

Lenalee watches him read the menu. _Gosh, this is scarier than I expect. How should I put it out? I can not bluntly ask him to kiss Karin. I must start a conversation. Yeah. No. It will be too long. Reever may come here and pull me back. Lord, how can I do this when he is the guy I admire? His red hair, his cheerful smile, his charisma. Am I willing to let him kiss Karin? How long should I endure this? But Karin, she comes first. She loves him first. I cannot possibly steal him from her. We already agreed just now, that he is hers. Confidence, Lenalee. It's for their relationship. I must endure and be brave enough to do this. _

"Lavi." Lenalee asks him even though she is busy watching the floor. Lavi gives a nod, still looking at the menu.

"Will you…"

Red tints appears on Lenalee's cheeks as Lavi turns to give her his attention.

"Kiss…"

The emerald eye widens again, hearing clearly the word escaped from her mouth. He can feel heat on his cheeks when he starts to imagine him having his lips on her. His mind shakes him from imagining further yet his body disobeys himself as he takes a few steps closer to Lenalee. The gap between them narrows as Lenalee can smell the scent of deodorant on Lavi's school uniform. She tilts her head up to see Lavi's facial features above her. The emerald eye shines at her as his nose is a few milimeters away from hers. Her heart is thumping harder and harder that she finds herself difficult to breath. It feels like running for a marathon non-stop.

"What did you say," Lavi whispers as their eyes meet, "Lenalee?"

_Oh my god, not in the canteen!_ Karin shouted in her heart as she watches the closeness from afar.

"Cheese!" Lenalee abruptly shouted as she presses her hands on Lavi's chest to push him away. "Anything with cheese here, they're nice."

"Cheese?" Lavi repeats to himself. Could he hear wrongly? He chuckles nervously when he recalls what he is about to do. He shows his thumbs-up at Lenalee. "Okay. With cheese, then!"

Lenalee chuckles together with him, "See you later, Lavi."

The dark-green haired girl sprints away from where he stands. _That is a close call. Why do I have a feeling he is about to kiss me? _

"What happen back there?" Karin asks Lenalee who is walking out of the canteen with her body guards.

"Nothing. I think I can't do it. You have to ask yourself on that one, Karin," Lenalee smiles despite her gasping for air, after the closeness with Lavi.

"Of course, you can't. It's insane if you did."

"Stop asking me to do those then," Lenalee said as she walks away with Reever, leaving Karin behind.

_Ha! She can't do it. It's one bonus point for me, that she have feelings for Lavi. I've won today. I must come up with more plans!_ Karin tells herself as she jumps in joy to her class.

* * *

><p>The bandage on Allen's left eye is taken off as the nurse pads his wounds with cotton wool wetted with ointment.<p>

"Ouch!" Allen yells in pain.

"Now, now. Have mercy on my ears. I'm not getting any younger," the nurse said, as she continues to treat Allen. Lavi leans his back against the wall, watching over his junior. However, his mind is still occupied of what Lenalee have asked him during lunch. It is like a dream. She asked him to kiss her. Every time he remembered it, he grins and chuckles to himself.

"What's so funny?" Allen grumbles at his senior.

"Hmm… oh, it's nothing," Lavi smiles, "I'll drink some water at the water cooler. Don't go anywhere and wait for me."

"Alright. Ouch! It hurts," Allen frowns at the nurse.

The water flows out of the fountain as he sips to quench his thirst. Taking a few more steps into Allen's room, he takes a glimpse on the other lit room. Lavi tiptoes towards the door and pushes it gently to see who is occupying it.

"Daisya? Daisya Barry?" Lavi whispers to himself as he recognises the injured boy lying on the bed. He is bandaged on the head, arms and legs. He seems to be in a very serious state. A hand grabs his shoulder as Lavi turns around to meet the infirmary doctor.

"Dr. Matt," Lavi said.

Dr. Matt raised one edge of his lips, "Well, this is unusual, to see Mr. Famous here. Peeping on my patients."

Dr. Matt closes the door before Lavi. From a reaction like that, Lavi knew the doctor is hiding something.

"What happen to him?" Lavi questions.

"You know him?"

"He's the football captain. We always meet during captain meetings. Just tell me what happen."

"He and his friend were playing football this morning. They encounter a man who asked Daisya whether he knows a boy named Allen. Daisya don't know and he was violently beaten up like a pulp while his friend escaped because of Daisya taking the blow. In fact, his friend told me that Kanda was there to stop the man from killing Daisya. But the man managed to flee before security came."

"The man," Lavi shows more concern and interest in the situation, "What does he look like?"

Out of nowhere, Kanda appears behind Lavi and approaches the two. Lavi faces his roommate who is not wearing his school vest, as usual. He still carries his sword with him. His glaring eyes set on the door and then darts towards the worried Lavi. Kanda takes the question as he said, "The man has black curly hair, tanned skin like the girl we met that day. Golden eyes too."

Lavi clenches his fists tight. The doctor bows to leave as he said he have more work to do. As soon as the doctor leaves them alone, Lavi takes a deep breath and releases it shortly. "So they already begin to infiltrate the school."

Kanda nods, "Those Noah bastards."

"Noah?" A familiar voice is heard in a distance from them.

"Allen?" Lavi flinched to see Allen standing at the door of his room.

"That guy, Daisya. He was beaten up by a Noah, right?" Allen asks harshly. "Because of me, right?"

Kanda and Lavi just stand there, speechless. In a split second, Allen stomps towards the exit and immediately breaks into a run.

"Allen!" Lavi chases after the silver head. "Stop!"

They run out of the infirmary, into the hallways, down the staircases and finally ends up to another corridor. Lavi picks up speed and finally grabs the boy's shoulder as he pushes him against the wall. Allen is already filled up with tears as they both catch their breaths after the long chase.

"Listen, Allen!" Lavi looked at him with assurance, "You cannot leave!"

"I must, Lavi!" Allen wipes his tears, "More people will get hurt because of me. I can't let that happen again. Let them just kill me, hurt me. I don't want anyone here to get hurt! Let me go!"

Lavi grabs his collar and glares at the shorter boy, "You think that after they have killed you, they won't lay a finger on this school? How certain are you, Allen?"

Allen stops struggling as he listens to Lavi. "After they killed you, they will get what they want and do you actually know what they want? This town, Allen. They want to conquer this town. And you will let them, is that it? Can't you picture that you leave this town in the hands of the Noah even after your so-called sacrificial death?"

"So stop being selfish and childish already!"

Lavi removes his grip on Allen's collar. The silver head glares at the floor in fear and tears continue to flow. Seeing how helpless Allen is, Lavi knows it is not his entire fault that he is targeted by the gang. Lavi pats on the boy's shoulders a few times before pulling him into a hug.

"Don't worry. Kanda and I are here. We three are like brothers now. What you can do is to learn how to fight, okay?" Lavi assures him with his calm voice. Allen nods even in the taller boy's embrace.

"Are you guys done already?" Kanda who appears again snorted at the scene.

"Come on, join the hug, Yu-chan!" Lavi opens a space for Kanda.

"Never! You guys stinks. Hugging after a run—"

Before he can finish his sentence, Kanda is pulled by Allen and Lavi for an embrace.

"LET. ME. GO!" Kanda's voice vibrated across the empty hallway, followed by cheerful laughter of the other two boys.

* * *

><p><strong>I hope you like it. Thanks for reading and all the reviews. Thanks so much. Peace! :)<strong>

**See ya next chappie!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

The school has ended today. Lavi waited outside Allen's dormitory while the albino changed from his school uniform to his jogging attire. Before exiting his room, Allen gripped the door knob and reflected of what have happened in the past few days. Two people have been injured because of him.

_I will work hard even with blood and sweat. I don't want to see anyone getting hurt because of me anymore. No more. And when I get stronger, I will protect myself and my friends._ Allen whispered to himself.

He closed the door behind him and locked the door. An arm hung over his neck as he looked up to see his cheerful senior's face.

"Ready, sprout?" Lavi exclaimed.

Allen's eyebrows furrowed, "Don't call me that. It's Allen!"

Lavi chuckled and pulled the shorter boy along the corridor. "Let's go. We start training without Kanda first. You don't mind, no?"

Allen snorted, "Never will."

The taller boy grinned at the dislike of the silver head towards Kanda. They both exited the boys' dormitory as they walked towards the stadium. It was occupied with many sports club members. Allen began to wonder where Lavi was bringing him when they both started to walk behind the stands.

"Careful. The branches of the bushes here are sharp," Lavi warned before entering the tall bushes behind the stands. Allen nodded and watched his step, tailing behind Lavi as they bashed through it. As soon as his view was out of the branches and leaves, a old basketball court appeared before him.

"Where are we?" Allen finally questioned.

"A basketball court, silly." Lavi answered.

"I know that, Lavi-senpai. I can see, even just with my right eye." Allen pouted.

Lavi let out a laugh, "You are adorable when you gets angry. Come over here."

Allen walked behind Lavi towards an old tree. Lavi then handed him a kitchen knife.

"Kitchen knife? What you want me to do with this?" Allen asked as he held the knife, looking at its sharpness.

Lavi pressed his hand onto the bark of the tree, somehow admiring it for no reason and then gazed at his junior. "Cut this tree with that. You have time until sunset."

"WHAT?" Allen shouted, "Are you mad? How can I do that? If you want me to do it, give me an axe, not a knife that only cut vegetables!"

Lavi bent down to meet Allen in the same eye level, "Do it if you want to get stronger. I will be there reading. Just don't try to cut yourself. I don't have first aid with me."

After giving the last cheerful grin he could give, Lavi moved away to the bench nearby and took out a book to read. The silver head stared blankly at the tree, thinking of ways to cut it. He started hitting the knife at the edge of the thick trunk, making cuts about only an inch deep. The movement was more tiring than expected as sweat dampened his hair and body.

_This is difficult, almost impossible. But I can't give up. No! I must not give up! _Allen shouted in his mind as he made the cut more deeper into the trunk's core. Hours have past and the cut have not reached even the centre of the trunk. His arms trembled after too much force he put in. His knees began to shake due to exhaustion. The grip on the knife was weakening. He glanced at his senior who still engrossed in his reading.

Allen wiped off the sweat on his eyelids when he realised his knees began to give in to the desperation for rest. He felt dizzy. _No, not now! I … must … continue …_

Falling backwards, Allen could not make a sound out of the exhaustion yet he was able to feel Lavi's arms on his back, breaking his fall. Slowly, the redhead placed him sitting on the grass patch.

"You're alright?" Lavi asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just need to…" Allen tried to stand up again but Lavi stopped him.

"You should take a rest," Lavi advised him but the expression on Allen's face was disagreeing.

"I couldn't possibly take a rest during a fight!" Allen blurted out in anger, shameful of his weakness. A task Lavi asked him to do was a failure as he witnessed the sky turned orange. "I'm too weak. I can't protect them. I can't protect myself!"

"Now, now, Allen. Calm down," Lavi gestured with his hands as he put aside his book. "It's not really about strength in order for you to defeat your enemy."

Allen gave a clueless look. "What?"

"Here, let me show you." Lavi again gave him the carefree grin and picked up the knife. He moved to another tree next to the damaged tree. The trunk have the same thickness. The redhead gripped the kitchen knife with both hands and hit the edge of the trunk. Allen gasped when he saw how deep Lavi could cut it with just one hit. It was as deep as one fifth of the trunk.

"H-How did you do that?" Allen muttered.

Lavi raised the knife's sharpness at Allen and explained, "I was happy that you know this is a kitchen knife but I thought you know how to use it. It seems you don't."

"Just tell me already!" Allen asked with an irked face.

Lavi chuckled, "You used this to chop vegetables which are soft and easily split when they're cut. You used the same method when you cut the trunk. That is wrong. You should use the method when you want to cut meat. You hit and slice at the same time."

Lavi turned to hit again, demonstrating what he meant. Allen watched closely and saw the slicing of the knife, making the cut more deeper. The albino smiled naturally as he was amazed.

Lavi added, "So when you hit your enemy with a sword, you can cause a painful scar at one blow! And one more point."

The redhead continued to hit the trunk with the knife but this time at different edges as though he was hitting it in circles. As soon as he could see the core of the trunk, he kicked it and it fell onto the ground. Allen just jawdropped at how fast Lavi could cut a tree. It was unbelievable.

"The tree, just like your opponent, has many openings. Take advantage of it and hit it where it hurts. When he became weak, you give him a physical blow and he will fall just like this tree. Understand, sprout?"

"YES!" Allen exclaimed, "But stop calling me that!"

Lavi laughed, enjoying every bit of annoying his junior. Allen climbed up to his standing posture. He approached the taller boy and grabbed the knife from his hands.

"Let me do it," Allen walked to another tree.

"But it is already sunset. Don't you want to have dinner?" Lavi asked.

Allen turned to face Lavi and smiled, "I will not have an appetite if I can't cut even one tree."

_Allen... He is very determined. That's what I really like about this boy. I know he is strong. He just need to be awaken. _Lavi nodded, "Tell me when your stomach gets hungry then."

"Alright!"

Four trees were cut within an hour once Allen have mastered the technique. Lavi was surprised at how quick Allen could learn the skill. He barely read his book as he found the perseverance Allen have was more interesting. Clouds were getting darker minute by minute, and the lamplights were lit. Lavi told him they should call it a day but Allen insisted to continue. From afar, Lavi could see the reddened fingers after hitting the knife on the solid trunk several times.

The redhead approached him and pulled the knife away but Allen refused to return it back.

"Let go, Allen!" Lavi shouted.

"No, just one more!" Allen cried when suddenly a loud growl escaped his stomach. The awkward moment of silence came after the sudden sound as Allen felt his cheeks turn red. Lavi giggled and pulled the knife harder from the boy's grasp.

"I say, let's call it a day, okay?" Lavi put the knife away, "And you should eat. At the first thought, it sounded like there were bears in these woods."

The both of them broke into laughter and started walking out of the court.

* * *

><p>The next morning of school, Lavi and Allen was walking down the hallways as Kanda strolled behind them. The crowd just gathered at the sides, admiring the red head from afar. Watching him laughing and giggling with Allen made many girls jealous of his junior. Kanda gave the blunt face as usual. They were a few more steps near Allen's classroom.<p>

"Lavi darling!" Karin from nowhere appeared and threw her arms around Lavi as he dropped his schoolbag. Lavi was indeed surprised yet he allowed the blonde embraced him.

_Lavi darling?_ Allen pondered. Allen looked at Kanda, hoping he have any idea about it but what he received was Kanda's routine glare.

"K-Karin?" Lavi muffled her name on her shoulder. "What happened?"

Karin slowly released the hug and smiled widely at the redhead. "Just happy to see you, boyfriend!"

Lavi stared blankly at Karin, when he then recalled what he announced the day before about making Karin as his girlfriend. It was to avoid any crowd around him. He grinned back and cheered, "I'm happy to see you too, girlfriend!"

"B-Boyfriend? Girlfriend?" Allen stuttered, and he turned to look behind Karin. Lenalee stood there, who was obviously surprised too. "Lenalee, do you know about it?"

"I-I…" Lenalee shrugged her shoulders in confusion. Her purple orbs immediately gazed at the closeness of Lavi and Karin. _They just hugged publicly. Isn't it official already? This fast? I… I don't know what to do now. Should I just leave? Yes, I should go in class right this instance._

The redhead caught view of Lenalee behind Karin and grinned at her. "Hey Lena—"

Before he could call her, she already rushed into the classroom. No one noticed the change of expression on Lenalee's face except Allen. The albino hurriedly followed behind her after waving goodbye at Lavi.

Allen said, "See you later at lunch, Lavi-senpai!"

"Yeah, sure…" Lavi muttered, still looking at Lenalee sit on her chair behind her desk. She looked gloomy. His heart was telling him to go to her and asked her what was wrong when Karin gripped his shoulder.

"Earth to Lavi, you're there?" Karin raised her voice at his ear, "Spacing out?"

"Huh, oh what?" Lavi looked at Karin back.

"We're going to be late for class."

"But Lenalee, she looks upset," Lavi still insisted to approach her when Karin stopped him.

_Not now. I must build more pressure between them. Then, this plan of making her jealous will work._ "She… She didn't get enough sleep, that's all," the blond girl chuckled as she told the story, " Anyway, what's too worry? Allen is there for her. Look at that. They're starting talking already. Are they natural to be together? See, she's smiling."

Lavi runs his fingers into his hair and let out a short chuckle, "I guess so. Well, let's go for class then, darling!"

"Sure," Karin exclaimed, hoping to hug Lavi on his arms but the red head have already walked away from her. _Jeez, call me darling and left me behind._

She turned to meet Kanda who was there all the time. "Ah… Kanda."

He looked away and said, "I don't want to know what you're planning. Just don't involve me. It's so annoying."

"As blunt as always," Karin muttered under her breath as she followed the both of them to class.

* * *

><p>The homeroom teacher of 1-A entered in the classroom as the students stood and greeted her. As soon as they sat down, lessons continued as usual. While the teacher was explaining about the revision subjects, images of Karin and Lavi hugging each other and their exchange of calling boyfriend and girlfriend continued to bother her.<p>

_Lavi does like Karin. He just acknowledged her as his girlfriend, right? What am I thinking? Wasn't I the one who allowed their relationship? I was the one who brought them together in a date. _

She gracefully raised her hand and pressed on her chest. _What about my feelings for him? I like him too but I should have known, my feelings would never be returned by him. I should now learn how to accept the fact that Lavi likes her. I should be happy for them. I should… if I could… I don't know if I can… I…_

Tears were collected in her eyes when something flew from the window and landed on her desk. She wiped her tears and looked around her as her classmates did not notice. It was a rock wrapped with paper. She undid the wrapping and saw words written on it.

She read in her heart. "Good morning, Lenalee. Didn't get to say that to you just now. Better get more sleep before becoming a panda."

A chuckle escaped her mouth, and she continued to read. "If you have any problems, find me okay. I'm always here whenever you need me. Okay, pay attention now before you get caught. Lavi."

_Lavi. _Lenalee grinned so widely like it was her first time seeing rainbows in front of her. She folded the piece of paper and kept in her case. She took a notebook, tore a piece of paper and scribbled a few words. At the second her teacher turned to face the chalkboard, Lenalee wrapped the paper on the same rock and threw it out of the window.

"Ouch," Lavi uttered, when he felt a rock fall on his head while he was reading a book, leaning against the wall. He picked the rock up, and smiled to see a different paper wrapped on it. He closed his book and opened the paper.

_Good morning to you too, Lavi. I'm fine really. Thanks for asking. I could need another naptime story. Have fun in class, anyway if you are in one right now. Lenalee._

"Lenalee, I will have a good naptime story for you. Just wait," Lavi smiled.

To be continued...

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks for reading. I hope you like it! Peace! :)<strong>


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

"Lenalee…"

Lavi stood in front of the girl whose hair was let down, riding the wave of the wind. His uncovered eye fixed on the purple sparkling eyes below him. Her rosy cheeks were begging for his touch as he gently cupped her right cheeks with his left hand. Lenalee leant against the touch and then stared again at the emerald eye.

"You came close to me," the taller boy voiced softly, "smiled ever so sweetly."

She grinned unconsciously at him, reaching the hand on her face and clenched it tightly.

"These days, my heart is neither awake nor asleep, Lenalee," Lavi leaned closer to her face, "I…"

Her knees were trembling, watching those rosy moist lips above her moving forward.

"Lenalee!"

"Yes, Mrs. Helen!" Lenalee snapped from her daze as she stood up. The whole class burst into laughter at how jumpy Lenalee was when her name was called. Allen chuckled as he looked at Lenalee. _I wonder what she is thinking these days. She always get caught by Mrs. Helen._

* * *

><p>As soon as the students proceeded to the canteen for lunch, Allen approached her close classmate's desk and chuckled, "Lenalee, what's bothering you? You know, you can tell me anything."<p>

Her cheeks turned red at the question asked. She chuckled uneasily, "It's nothing, really. I was just distracted, that's all."

"Hmm, you're hiding something from me," Allen persisted as he took the empty seat in front of Lenalee's desk. The girl shook her head, "No, I'm not."

"Is it about Lavi and Karin? I saw your face change when you saw them hugging outside earlier."

Surprised, Lenalee clenched her fists together. _Right, Lavi already have Karin. Why am I still dreaming about him?_

"I'm happy for them," Lenalee faked a smile as she quickly stood up and walked towards the door. "Let's go for lunch now."

"Ouuuuukay," Allen dragged his words as he followed behind her and met Karin and Kanda at the door.

"Karin, Kanda. Where's Lavi?" Allen asked the two seniors.

The blonde girl shrugged, "I don't know. He didn't come to class."

"He obviously skipped classes again," Kanda said bluntly. "Anyway, you'll going training with me, beansprout."

"It's Allen, idiot!" the silverhead yelled at the taller boy's face. "Better watch your mouth or you'll get hurt."

Kanda sneered, "You think you can even lay a finger on me? I can't believe you have the guts to say that after I saved your ass back then."

Allen suddenly burst in laughter, "I'm so going to kick your ass hard."

Before Kanda was about to grab his sword, Karin stood in front of him, blocking another attack. "Now, now boys behave!"

Kanda gave his usual 'tch' and walked away as Allen reluctantly followed behind. Lenalee just smiled at their departure while she walked alongside her roommate towards the canteen. Yet her eyes wandered around her, catching any glimpse of red hair and an eye-patch. _Where is Lavi?_

* * *

><p>The ladies have sandwiches for lunch. Karin as usual talked about her affection on Lavi and the pig-tailed listened without showing any sign of jealousy. It was tiresome for Karin seeing no progress but instincts told her it was going to work. After the last bite of her sandwich, Lenalee drank her milk and stood up to remove her tray, placing it at the counter.<p>

"I need to go first, okay?" Lenalee informed Karin before making a move. The blonde girl was still drinking her fruit juice, sitting on the canteen bench.

"So soon? Where?" Karin questioned, making Lenalee think hard to come up with an excuse so that she could go find Lavi.

Lenalee grinned, "Brother. I have something important to tell him. I meet you after school, okay?"

The dark-green haired girl tapped on the blonde's shoulders and strolled away before Karin said goodbye. She watched her junior exiting the canteen.

_Huh, she can't lie to me. She's obviously looking for Lavi. Silly girl. _Karin giggled to herself.

* * *

><p>The stands were empty during lunch period. Many would have mistaken the tracks burnt in its reddish colour under the scorching sun. No student would want to come up at hot weather on that afternoon. Only the famous sprinter would not let even heat to stop her running. She searched for her friend, wait, her secret admirer around the tracks. Futile as it was, she could not find him.<p>

A smile crept on her face when she remembered his secret hideout. She skipped her way to the back of the stands, bashing to the bushes and found herself in the familiar basketball court. Turning around, her eyes scanned through the forest and only saw a few trees cut down.

"Where is he?" she murmured to herself when she heard…

"LENALEE, LOOK OUT!"

Her ears picked a strong gust of wind sounded behind her. In one swift turn, she saw a huge fist flew towards her face. Known for her superb speed, she ducked, blocking the blow and hurriedly crawled away from the owner of the hand. She looked back seeing a furious large middle-aged man, dressed in black with a black snow hat, standing in a falling stance.

The man growled, feeling frustrated after missing the target as the pair of gleaming eyes glared daggers at the frightened lady. Lenalee took small steps backward yet she took a breathe in relief when she saw Lavi jumping high behind the man. Soaring as though he was touching the sun, he gave a massive dunk on the man's head as the injured dropped helplessly onto the ground.

"Lavi!" the pigtailed girl rose to her feet, as though her worries of searching the boy were erased instantly after her eyes set on the redhead. The admired boy was still catching his breath after the high jump. His eye glanced at his friend who was running towards him. He smiled gently at her when she approached him.

"Are you alright, crybaby?" Lavi joked, seeing a glint of tears collecting under those purple orbs. Lenalee quickly rubbed her eyes and noticed a patch of blood on Lavi's forehead. In fact, it was bleeding, making a stream of blood across the boy's cheek.

"Lavi, you're bleeding!" Lenalee shrieked, reaching her handkerchief and placing it on the wound when Lavi dodged it.

"I'm fine, but this man," Lavi looked at the unconscious man, "We must carry him to the police."

Lenalee panicked, "Who is this man?"

The redhead pushed back his dampened hair, "He's Noah's man. He was peeping into your classroom just now. I was fighting with him for hours. He's a very tough guy, Lenalee. And…"

He pressed his hand against his forehead, squinting his eye as though his head just crashed.

"Lavi?" Lenalee asked in concern when Lavi started to sway in dizziness. "Lavi?"

* * *

><p>Gripping the sword tight although his hands were sweaty, Allen focused his attention on Kanda's next attack. Ignoring every single bruise on his body, he knew he was losing to his senior. Of course, he would. He was facing the champion of Kendo in town. The ponytailed boy did not fidget a bit. The raven haired boy stood still, eyes as sharp as eagles' eyes.<p>

_No, I won't give up. Think, Allen, think!_ He murmured to himself, unaware that Kanda had already made a move, appearing next to him in a milliseconds, as he felt the sword plunging against his swollen abdomen. His knees was not prepared to receive the shock of pain overwhelming his body as he dropped onto the floor, looking up at Kanda giving his usual glare.

"Is that really the best you can do," Kanda grunted, "Sprout?"

"Don't… don't call… me that…" Allen uttered in between his effort holding back the pain. Nevertheless, it was evident by the tears on his eyes as how painful the last attack caused on his dear body.

Kanda deliberately placed the tip of his wooden sword on the lying boy's forehead. "You're a waste of time."

Smoke of anger escaped from Allen's nose as he pushed away the sword and climbed up onto his feet. Kanda sneered, "You really want to die, do you?"

"Stop bickering," Allen grabbed his sword and clenched it with both his hands, "Stupid Kanda."

Kanda raised his finger at Allen, "I can just flick my finger on your face, and you will fall onto the ground like a dead tree."

The silver head grumbled under his breath, eyes still fixed on every feature of his opponent. _Wait? Fall like a tree?_

Images of his training with Lavi flashed in his weary mind. Kanda widened his eyes when he saw one edge of the shorter boy's lips lifted into a smirk. Without a word, the ponytailed boy shifted his sword back. Allen could have sworn that he thought Kanda's image was fading before him. Yet he believed his eye was not deceiving him, knowing well enough how fast Kanda moved. It was not his dizziness amidst the pain but Kanda's ultimate speed to attack him was playing with his only sight of his right eye.

Again, Kanda appeared next to Allen on his left. "I know you're hitting me here."

"Damn bastard…" Kanda mumbled before he fell backwards as he stared at his hip and dropped his sword. No one have ever hit him, causing such agonising pain. Allen's sword stabbed him in one hard blow. Allen have no intention for mercy as he took advantage of Kanda's blunder and continued to stab him where it hurts. One last kick on the tummy, the senior landed onto the floor, hugging his bruised chest.

"Hit and slice, one last physical blow," Allen spoke to himself, as though he was repeating it in his head for a long time. The dark blue eyes stared at the victorious opponent of his. He was still baffled at how it turned out to be.

"Who taught you?" Kanda asked, showing no suffering of the hit. Allen chuckled as he fell lying next to his senior, "Why should I tell you? No way I'm letting you get better than me."

Kanda smirked, "I hate your type of person. I will kill you soon, sprout!"

"Kill me?" Allen laughed, deliberately annoying his senior as he rolled across the floor in amusement. Glancing at his sword a distance from him, Kanda tried to reach his sword when he realised the boy stop laughing.

Allen rose into a sitting posture and faced away from Kanda, "You don't have to. The Noah's after me. I'm as good as dead."

The face turned gloomy, sorrow and sadness painted his pale face. The silver head stared at the floor, reflecting on reality and fate of his life. He turned around to see Kanda grab his sword before he could reach his. The tip of his sword met Allen's right uncovered eye, watching Kanda sitting a distance from him.

"Sprout, listen and I'm not going to repeat myself," Kanda grunted in his most harsh voice, "The only person who can kill you is me, no one else. Understand?"

_What? Does he actually care? No, but it sounded like so. Well, I can't blame him for his poor choice of words in conveying it._ Allen giggled at the thought.

* * *

><p>In the infirmary, the redhead was unconscious, lying on the bed. Lenalee slowly washed the boy's wound with medicated alcohol when the coldness woke him up. When he opened his eye, he saw his own hand already grabbing Lenalee's wrist. Another moment of looking deeply in each other's eyes commenced, but Lavi retreated from gazing on her eyes when he recalled of what have happened to him as he let go of her hand.<p>

Delighted, Lenalee greeted him, "Lavi, you're awake? Thank goodness."

"Where am I?" Lavi rose to a sitting position, viewing his surroundings. "Where is the man?"

"Reever took care of it," Lenalee answered, "Here, let me treat your wound first."

Gently, Lenalee padded his bloody bruise, washing every stain of blood on his forehead. The injured boy just admired at how delicate her hands were on his wound, awed by her sweetness and tender loving charisma. The sound of scotch tape snapped him back to reality as Lenalee pasted the medicated bandage on his clean wound.

"There you go, Lavi!" Lenalee cheered to be any form of help to him. Lavi touched his bandage lightly, winced at the pain it sent to his body.

"Thank you, Lenalee," Lavi smiled in debt of her aid. "I guess you should return back to class. You will miss your lessons."

"Lavi," Lenalee asked him, obviously ignoring whatever he just said, "do you… do you regret meeting me?"

Lavi gave a shock look upon the question posed. Her purple orbs showed shades of anxiety and regret. He tried to meet her eyes directly but she preferred to gaze on her delicate hands.

"Ever since you've met me, you always got into trouble. Now, you are injured because of protecting Allen. That's because I forced you to. I don't know if I can bear to see you injured again. I'm scared, Lavi. I…"

Tears flowed uncontrollably down her tender cheeks. Weeping in short breaths, Lenalee clenched both of her fists, waiting for Lavi's answer. The redhead released a heavy sigh and leant back against the pillows behind his back. His emerald orb darted at the crying girl.

"Do you really want to know?" Lavi asked, giving a serious face. "I'll tell you."

The girl stopped weeping, changing her gaze on Lavi. _He's going to tell me. What is he going to say? Is it a yes? That he regretted knowing me? I don't know if my heart is able to accept it. But only Lord knows, how deep I have fallen for him. But it was me who made his life full of danger and trouble. I can't forgive myself if anything happens to him. _

"I'll tell you," Lavi repeated, disrupting her train of thoughts, "I'll tell you in your ears."

She flinched at what she heard yet she nodded with no arguing. Lavi shifted his sitting position, "Come closer then."

Taking a deep breath, Lenalee moved closer, having her ear advancing towards Lavi's mouth. Seconds was like years as she waited for the answer, while her cheeks showed shades of red, feeling Lavi's breath on her ears. What she did not know was Lavi was blushing too. He smirked, looking at how naïve Lenalee was, allowing him to get so close to her as he could smell her scent of shampoo. His hand swiftly cupped the opposite cheek, pulling her towards him as he pecked a kiss on her smooth fair cheek.

The kiss was gentle, yet it was enough for Lenalee to feel so heated as her eyes widened by the touch of his soft lips on her face. Blood rushed to her cheeks and Lavi slowly released her from his grip, watching how red Lenalee's face was.

"W-w-what was that for?" Lenalee asked him, as her fingers caressed the part owned by his lips.

For the first time, Lavi ran out of words to say. He could not find a suitable reason or even a lie to cover his action. Confused, he was uncertain if Lenalee felt the same way he did to her since he knew how much Allen is to Lenalee. He looked around him for answers when he realised something. "It stopped you from crying, right? That's why I did that. Nothing more than that."

"Nothing more?" Lenalee repeated, feeling disappointed. _What was I thinking? Of course, it doesn't mean anything else. He must have done this to Karin before._

_Lenalee, if only you knew, how it really meant to me when I lay a kiss on you. It is a dream come true. _Lavi whispered to himself.

**To be continued...**

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><p><strong>Thanks for reading and reviews! :D<strong>


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

The clock stroke 3.00pm and school lessons finally ended for the day. Students were dismissed, chit-chattering among themselves. It was time for co-curricular activities. Allen proceeded to the music room, practicing for his summer performance. Karin accompanied Lenalee from the dorm to the stadium for track and field practice. Lavi and Kanda fought their way about usual chores back in the dorm as they walked to their respective training halls.

The track and field team was the earliest club to start their training. Girls varied in different heights, colour of hair and ages. That did not matter since all the girls who joined the team have unique talents in separate fields such as throws, jump, hurdles, relay and more. Well, except one. Karin and Lenalee were expected to compete for being the representative in the sprint race category as well as middle-distance and long-distance race. However, staying as roommates for nearly two months, they became best friends, and clearly they would give each other a chance to represent in school.

The Innocence Youth Games was going to be held during the summer and the girls planned to start training as early as they could. The coach have facilitated the girls in separate training areas with respect to their category. Stretching her legs as she bent her back forward, Lenalee thought a shadow casted on her and she was right when she looked up to see a pig-tailed blond girl facing her.

"Hi, Lenalee!" the slightly taller girl greeted Lenalee who grinned back at her. The girl was also having the same hair style as her though the girl's hair was shorter than Lenalee's long silky dark green hair.

"Hi, you are?" Lenalee asked.

"I'm Eliade, from class 1-C," the girl bowed in courtesy and raised again to continue her say, "I'm in hurdles category."

Lenalee just smiled to acknowledge her talent as she offered her hand for a handshake. Eliade accepted it and smiled back.

"All the best in training then!" Lenalee cheered, "If you need anything, just call on me, okay?"

Lenalee noticed Karin waving at her from afar, knowing it was time for her and Karin to practice sprinting. She took a few steps past Eliade when her arm was grabbed by her new acquaintance. Lenalee turned to meet those puffy hazel brown eyes, as if they were begging for something from her.

"Eliade?" Lenalee muttered her name in surprise, slowly turning to face her. "What's wrong?"

The taller girl flinched, releasing Lenalee's arm immediately. She let her head hang down, while her cheeks were getting redder. Confused at the sudden reaction, Lenalee bent down a little to make eye-contact with her, yet she kept her eyes shut.

Lenalee placed her hand on the shoulder of the shy girl, "Tell me, it's okay."

Finally, Eliade opened her eyes, gazing at the grinning face of the vice-captain of the team.

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><p>"What's taking Lenalee so long?" Karin whispered to herself, waiting impatiently by the tracks. She watched the two girls, as her view was more on Lenalee's back and half of the other girl's front. Grunted, she felt like yelling on the spot but too many people were around there. It would be embarrassing to be labelled a naggy loud woman of her young age. She rubbed her fringe against her forehead, before she marched down to the two girls at the side of the track.<p>

Reaching at Lenalee's side, Karin was about to blast the girl's eardrums with 'What takes you so long!' when she saw the surprised look on her junior's face. Her purple orbs were widened and they were looking at the blushing blond girl in front of her.

Karin directed her glare at the blond girl, "Hey! What did you say to Lenalee, huh?"

Snapped back to reality, Lenalee held Karin back from charging towards Eliade. "Stop, Karin. You're scaring her."

"What?" Karin grunted as she faced Lenalee, "You looked like you've seen a ghost. What did she say to you?"

"It's… It's…" Eliade stammered in her words, too embarrassed to confess. The dark-green haired girl patted her shoulder again, "Don't worry. It will be fine."

Pulling her roommate to another corner, Lenalee hugged her arm on Karin's neck as she whispered to Karin's ear. "Don't freak out when I say this, okay?"

"As if anything will freak me out," Karin grumbled, yet her attention focused on whatever Lenalee was about to deliver.

"She wants my help in getting a date with Lavi. So I guess we should help her."

"WHAAAAAATTTTTTT!"

Karin shouted on top of her voice, never mind the label anymore because this was going way out of hand. _What the hell is Lenalee thinking? Letting her own crush going out with another girl? Is she really damn stupid? Oh Lord, give her real, I repeat, genuine working brain for Pete's sake! _

Karin's mouth was covered by Lenalee's hand before she started to yell crappy stuff all over the place. "Karin, I know you'll get jealous but let her go out with him just once. Please."

Lenalee gave her convincing look that everything would be fine. The blond girl pushed her hand away, claiming back her calm posture as she stood crossing her arms across her chest. Lenalee waited for her senior's reply. She rolled her eyes away after taking glances at Lenalee and Eliade.

_Insane! Even if I say no, she will still do it. How will Lavi react? Wait,… exactly! How will he actually react? Maybe if I make her ask him herself, they may argue and actually confess about their feelings? It is a chance I can take. It may work. Yes. Not a bad plan, Lord. _

"Fine!" Karin said loudly, and she lifted her forefinger at the purple orbs which came to the middle awkwardly, "But you have to ask him yourself."

A grin appeared like a flash on Lenalee's face, "Thank you, Karin! Eliade!"

The dark green haired girl ran towards Eliade and they both hugged in merriement. Dark clouds summoned around Karin's face as she sneered evilly.

Jogging through the hallway, Lavi pulled the hoodie to cover his head as he took a few glances back, hoping he was not chased by any fangirl. He just finished training with the basketball team and was on his way to his dorm to rest. The hallway he took was so empty that he could hear his foot steps.

"LAVI!"

Lenalee jumped out of nowhere at his front as Lavi's face turned white at the sudden surprise. He fell backwards on his bum, looking up at the giggling Lenalee.

"Lenalee! Why you do that for?" Lavi yelled at Lenalee who scared his life out of his vessel.

The girl just continued to chuckle after seeing the shocked face of her admirer. The redhead climbed to his feet, adjusting his sweater. He then pretended he did not see Lenalee as he brushed past her. Her laugher froze as she realised Lavi ignored her.

"Lavi," Lenalee skipped to stand in front of him, "Don't ignore me. I was just playing around."

"Next time, I will scare you until you will pee—" Lavi did not get to finish his sentence when he felt a hard punch on his chest. "Ouch, Lenalee."

Lenalee said in her grumpy tone, "Don't say like that. It doesn't sound nice."

"I can't control my mouth, I guess?" Lavi said playfully, laughing at how Lenalee reacted to his previous sentence. "Anyway, why are you here jumping and terrorising me?"

Naturally, her hand moved to pinch the boy's shoulder where sufficient flesh was right for her grip. Lavi squinted in pain and removed her hand away.

Lavi whined, "What the hell, Lenalee?"

"Go out with Eliade," Lenalee announced with an evil grin.

"WHAT?" Lavi shouted, as his voice echoed through the quiet hallway. "What did you say?"

Hidden behind a corner in a few distance from where both of them were standing, Karin eavesdropped their conversation. _This is it. Go on, Lavi. Tell her what you really feel!_

Lenalee put both her hands together, looking at the taller boy, "Please. Just have dinner with her tomorrow night. That's all."

Still baffled, Lavi kept silent. He looked away from those violet eyes, not wanting to be drowned by her charms. His eidetic memory was not helping him at all as he recalled the day he brought Karin back after having dinner with her and her parents.

_She pointed her finger at Lavi's face, "Remember this, Lavi. You only have a date with the girl you have feelings for."_

"_Well, I have a feeling for you, a feeling of pity," he pouted at Karin's so-called advice._

"_Now don't get grumpy on me. You are so cute!" Karin chuckled, pulling back her curls behind her ears, "What I meant to say is you should date the girl you like. Otherwise you will break someone's heart."_

The emerald eye gazed back at the pleading girl. _But__ I __know__ Lenalee. __She __won__'__t __force __me__ to __do __something__ without __a __reason. __There__ must __be __somebody __she __is __trying __to __help. __But __making __me__ go __on __a __date __just __to __make __that __person __happy, __I__ still __think __it__'__s __going __too __far.__ What __I__ did __with __Karin__ was __just __to __make __her __parents __notice__ her.__But __this __time __is __plainly __going __out__ with __a__ girl __I__ haven__'__t __seen __before. __I __don__'__t __want __another __incomprehensible__ lecture __from__ Karin, __neither __do __I __want __to __see__ anyone __broken-hearted._

"No, Lenalee," Lavi said in a strict tone as he started to walk away.

"But it's just dinner, Lavi."

"No."

"Why not?"

"Why not?" Lavi halted his pace, and turned to look at Lenalee's eyes, "Then, why not you go out with a guy you hardly know? It's just dinner. I have a friend who is so interested in you."

Lenalee stepped back, first fluttering her eyelashes in surprise at what Lavi have just said, and then gave him a fierce look. "Are you challenging me?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Lavi placed his hands on his hips, "Then, you will know how I really feel."

"Fine," Lenalee said confidently, "We have a double date!"

"Fine!" Lavi shouted back at her. "And whoever gets rejected at the end lose!"

Lenalee gave a sinister laugh, "You think you're so handsome, charming and popular, that you have no chance of losing. You're so wrong!"

"Hearing that from someone who claims gold for running and CRYING!" Lavi sneered at Lenalee.

The girl grabbed the boy's collar roughly, "Tomorrow, Fairy Garden at 5.30pm sharp!"

Lenalee released him and stomped away. Lavi shouted from behind, "Don't be late, CRYBABY!"

"Shut up, IDIOTIC PIRATE!"

The both of them strode in opposite directions. Karin who have witnessed everything let out the heaviest sigh she could ever give. _They__'__re __both __are __just __idiots! __It__'__s __getting __more __worse __than __I__ expected.__ Lord, __what __are __you__ planning __now?_

**To be continued...**

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><p><em><strong>Thanks for reading! :) Peace!<strong>  
><em>


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